Quadrilateral scientific collaboration in marine biosecurity

02 Oct 2017 12:00 AM
New Zealand scientists team-up with international colleagues to tackle marine pests
NZ, Australian,Canadian and US marine biosecurity scientists meet at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre, Maryland, to align priority areas of research.

In 2016, the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) funded a three year project to strengthen scientific cooperation and information exchange between researchers un New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Canada to tackle the global problem of marine bioinvasions.

The aim of the partnership is to accelerate research on tools and technologies for early detection, rapid response and evaluation of risks from invasive marine species. The intention is to get better alignment between complementary work programmes in the four countries, establish new research collaborations, and facilitate greater exchange of information and capability.

This project has a focus on three areas of research:

  • Developing more sensitive, cost-efficient tools for surveillance.
  • Developing innovative technologies and tactics for control and eradication of marine pests.
  • Developing better ways to evaluate social and cultural impacts from invasive marine species, particularly for indigenous communities.

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Key contacts:

Graeme Inglis
Science Leader
NIWA

Oliver Floerl
Principal Investigator
Cawthron Institute

Marnie Campbell
Principal Investigator
University of Waikato