Hon Jim Anderton
Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Forestry
Associate Minister of Health,
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education,
Minister Responsible for Public Trust
Progressive Leader
10th November 2006 Press release
Experimental Test Results Being Validated
Experimental and unvalidated testing methods that indicate didymo may be in rivers in Fiordland National Park are not a
reason to panic, Biosecurity Minister Jim Anderton said today.
“Didymo has not been confirmed in Fiordland National Park. Several rivers were tested at the Department of
Conservation’s request with an experimental method being developed under Biosecurity New Zealand’s didymo science
programme delivering positive results. Re-testing of the samples has begun using standard test protocols. These results
have come back negative.
“The testing was requested as part of the effort to advance its validation process. The method uses DNA, and is not
ready for use in the field yet,” Jim Anderton says.
“There are a number of reasons why experimental testing can deliver invalid positive results including sample
contamination and the presence of native algae.
“There is no need for panic or kneejerk reactions. We are working hard to remove the uncertainty from this situation by
completing the retesting of the samples and returning to the Fiordland site to conduct further testing at source,” Jim
Anderton says.
“Fiordland is an iconic part of New Zealand, and at this stage, this situation is only a warning of what could happen if
all New Zealand freshwater users, regardless of location – and that includes the North Island – do not Check, Clean and
Dry between waterways. While our scientists are working hard to come up with some management tools, personal
responsibility is always going to be the best option we have to fight the spread of didymo and other aquatic pests,” Jim
Anderton says.
ENDS