NSW DPI to support beekeepers in transition to management

Following the recent decision of the National Management Group (NMG) to transition the Varroa mite emergency eradication response to a Management Response Plan, NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is working with industry on next steps.

NSW DPI Director General Scott Hansen said that NSW will operate under an interim management strategy, which has been published in a new Emergency Order, while a National Management Plan for Transition to Management is being developed.

“Following the NMG decision yesterday to transition to management, the NMG also agreed to an interim strategy to limit the impacts and slow the spread of Varroa mite, which NSW DPI has begun working with all our stakeholders to implement today,” Mr Hansen said.

“We will continue to provide information and support to industry, using learnings from the past ffteen months during which the spread of this invasive mite has been signifcantly delayed thanks to the tireless efforts of the response team.”

NSW DPI Deputy Director General Biosecurity & Food Safety, Dr John Tracey said under the conditions of the interim management strategy, the whole state will either be in a Suppression Zone or Management Zone.

“The only Management Zones will be in the existing Emergency Eradication Zones in the Kempsey, Hunter and Central Coast regions,” Dr Tracey said.

“Free movement will be allowed within Management Zones, and movement outside

Management Zones will be allowed under risk-assessed permit conditions.”

“The rest of the state will be classifed as being in the Suppression Zone, where hive movements will be allowed so long as movement declarations are completed.”

Dr Tracey said the interim management arrangements are designed to balance risk with business continuity.

“Beekeepers in all current Emergency Eradication (red) Zones will have the option of voluntary euthanasia of hives and subsequent access to Owner Reimbursement Compensation payments if they meet certain conditions,” Dr Tracey said.

“NSW beekeepers have been through a lot over the past ffteen months, so I want to remind them to reach out to DPI as we have a range of tools to support them through these challenging times.” Under the interim strategy, all beekeepers in NSW will still be required to complete hive testing (alcohol washing, soapy water wash or miticide strip and sticky mat) and report results to DPI every 16 weeks. Where results indicate a mite infestation DPI will supply miticide strips to be installed in infested hives.

Hive movement declarations must be submitted to DPI for all movements of hives and all miticide treatments must be recorded and reported to DPI.

For more information visit the NSW DPI Varroa mite website at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ varroa or contact the Varroa mite Hotline on phone 1800 084 881.