Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Although didymo prefers a river environment with clear water flowing over stable substrate at depths sufficient for light penetration to drive photosynthesis, blooms have been found in South Island Lakes. Lake Wakatipu, for example, contains visible didymo on some parts of the lake shore.

The importer must pay for these.

Implementation of a testing protocol can provide assurances that imports do not contain GM seeds, while still allowing trade to continue. Banning all imports of lucerne and alfalfa seed would not be justified, given that a GM test is available. 

Scientists are not certain when didymo first arrived in New Zealand. The first visible blooms were identified in the lower Waiau and Mararoa catchments in October 2004. However, credible retrospective reports indicate didymo was visible in the Mararoa River as early as 2001.

Maize/sweet corn seeds and oilseed rape seeds are the most likely to inadvertently contain GM seeds. Four crops make up more than 99% of the world's commercial GM crops: soybean, maize, cotton, and oilseed rape. New Zealand does not grow cotton and grows only very small amounts of soybeans. Relatively large quantities of maize/sweet corn and oilseed rape seeds are imported into New Zealand, including from countries that grow GM varieties of those crops.

When submissions close, we will review and update the strategy. Once the goals to achieve have been agreed and the final version of the strategy is completed, MAFBNZ will develop a plan of action to meet the goals in the strategy. This will involve prioritising actions and developing a timeline. As a major component of the strategy involves working together, we will seek comment from those with a role or interest in biosecurity surveillance, and work with them to make it happen. The Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy aims to meet the goals by 2020, so we anticipate that actions will be staged over the next ten years.

Six workshops will be held to present the draft strategy, explain the approach taken, answer questions and provide information. The dates and locations for the workshops are listed in the table below. For more information, or to express interest, please send us an email at NZBiosecuritySurveillance@maf.govt.nz

The Animal Welfare (Glueboard Traps) Order 2009 defines these traps as follows:

"glueboard trap means a trap, whether or not commercially manufactured, consisting of an adhesive glue layer on a base material and that is intended to capture and hold live rodents."

Such traps used to target insects are not covered by this Order. Such traps used to target rodents are covered by this Order.

Please note this information is provided by way of general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Parties are advised to seek independent legal advice in relation to particular fact situations.

All tests must be conducted at a Government laboratory or a Government-approved laboratory.

MPI does not keep a list of these overseas government laboratory or government-approved laboratories. Your veterinarian or pet exporter or official government veterinarian can help you.

No, you won’t have to pull them out. It is legal to have a plant that is on the Accord list, but it is illegal to sell, propagate or spread it. The agencies and industry groups involved in implementing the Accord work together to make sure that home gardeners receive good information, including the reasons plants have been included on the Accord (ie their environmental impacts).