14 August 2006

Funding support for mussel industry to combat Didemnum vexillum sea squirt in Marlborough

Minister of Biosecurity, Jim Anderton announced today that Biosecurity New Zealand will redirect $150,000 from other pest management programmes to support Didemnum vexillum pest management activities in the Marlborough region.

He said that while directly benefiting the local industry, the management programme would potentially have wider benefits around the control of other marine pests.

“The marine farming sector considers that Didemnum vexillum, a marine fouling organism, could significantly disrupt the industry’s ability to farm mussels," Jim Anderton said.

"I have met with representatives of the mussel industry and Marlborough District Council and they put forward a management plan, seeking a financial contribution from Government,” Jim Anderton said.

“$150,000 will be redirected to support the activities in this plan and the mussel industry will commit a similar figure made up of in-kind and monetary contributions.

“Biosecurity New Zealand is proposing to fund public communications and applied research into response and surveillance tools. The agency will also offer technical expertise to the working group,” Jim Anderton said today.

ENDS

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