Strengthened border biosecurity pays off over summer

Record numbers of arriving passengers into NZ over the 2015/16 summer have kept border biosecurity defences busy over the season.

However, strengthened biosecurity measures have stopped hitchhiking pests and diseases from entering New Zealand without affecting passenger processing time. In fact, processing time is down on last year, and compliance rates (the amount of times MPI correctly detects risk goods carried by passengers) are up at 99%.

Significantly, these detections included 14 fruit fly found on passengers—reflecting the biosecurity risk pressure at our borders.

Strengthened biosecurity measures include:

• 90 new frontline officers and 24 new detector dog teams
• Introduction of a mobile x-ray scanner to clear cruise ship passengers
• Raising risk assessment levels
• Heavy investment in public biosecurity awareness
• A stricter approach with fining passengers who break the rules

Click here to read more on MPI’s website.