Please find the latest update to the Biosecurity (Varroa Mite) Emergency Order 2022 (No.4) issued by the Deputy Chief Plant Protection Officer.
Please find the new order attached below.
I have also taken the liberty of adding the press release which accompanied the new order below. Please note this information has been taken directly from the NSW DPI website. I have also attached the map of the new zones to the bottom of this email.
New emergency zones effective for Varroa mite
30 Jun 2022
NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) has established another emergency zone south of Newcastle in response to confirmed detections of Varroa mite.
Acting Chief Plant Protection Officer Chris Anderson said DPI had now established emergency zones around nine infested premises, including the new zone around a Calga property south of Newcastle which became effective today.
“DPI has put significant measures in place to arrest the spread of the threat and is being assisted by the apiary industry, Local Land Services (LLS), NSW Police, NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and the wider community,” he said.
“Since Varroa mite was first identified at the Port of Newcastle last week, NSW DPI has been working with apiary industry bodies and stakeholders to ensure beekeepers are informed and empowered to be part of this critical response.
“So far many of the infested premises have been located very close together so the emergency zones covered largely the same areas but recent detections at Bulahdelah and Calga have expanded the area covered.”
No bees or beekeeping equipment can be moved anywhere in NSW, and no honey or honeycomb removed from hives. Hives must not be touched unless conducting surveillance for Varroa mite or at the direction of an NSW DPI officer.
Beekeepers within 50 km of infested premises must also notify NSW DPI of the location of all bees by calling the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline, 1800 084 881, visiting www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/varroa or emailing hive.location@emergency.dpi.nsw.gov.au.
Eradication plans include destruction of honeybee colonies within a 10 km eradication zone around infested sites and inspection of managed honeybee colonies within a 25 km surveillance zone. Feral honeybee hives will be eradicated from the eradiation and surveillance zones.
Beekeepers work side-by-side with government as part of Australia’s early warning system to detect exotic honeybee pests, the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program, which includes surveillance hives and catch boxes at strategic locations around our ports and airports.
More information is available from NSW DPI: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/varroa
Media contact: 02 6391 3686
Statement Ends.
Thank you for your efforts today in sharing our updates through social media. Your continued support is assisting the QBA and Queensland Government to create awareness of the response program and promote greater awareness of the importance of a strong and healthy honey bee sector.
