❓ WA Parliament questions the Department of Fisheries on its management of the marine pest Didemnum perlucidum, including funding, actions taken, and collaboration with Chevron. The Department provides detailed responses on research, stakeholder engagement, and future strategy development.
AnsweredQoN 2921Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Further to Legislative Council Question No. 814 and given the Department of Fisheries’ (Department) responsibility for aquatic biosecurity, does the Department consider Didemnum perlucidum to be a marine pest? (2) If yes to (1), what funds has the Department allocated to the control and eradication of D. perlucidum since its discovery at Barrow Island in February 2012? (3) Has the Department's working group, referred to in Question No. 814, met and if so on how many occasions? (4) Given the Department’s view that the “potential for environmental impact from D. perlucidum is considered serious”, what practical steps has the Department taken to protect high-value marine assets, such as marine management areas and aquaculture sites? (5) Given that D. perlucidum was detected on a Gorgon marine vessel, what was the outcome of Department negotiation with Chevron to eradicate the pest from Barrow Island? (6) Which of the 11 recommendations in the Department's Research Paper entitled Potential Eradication and Control Methods for the Management of the Ascidian Didemnum perlucidum in Western Australia have been implemented to date? (7) Has a regional strategy been developed and if so, has it been implemented?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2014
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Fisheries
Response time
34 days
(1) Yes
(2) Since February 2012, the Department of Fisheries (Department) has spent about $1.23 million on research, compliance, policy and management of
Didemnum perlucidum
in WA. Outcomes of this work are relevant to the management of other pests.
(3) The Statewide cross-agency working group has had two meetings.
(4) The practical steps include:
a. Preliminary mapping of high value and high risk assets in WA waters;
b. The commencement of development of an appropriate model to predict the dispersal, spread and distribution of
Didemnum perlucidum
over time;
c. Regular communication with key stakeholders (including ports, potentially affected fisheries and aquaculturists, and oil and gas industry);
d. Published Research Report - 'Potential Eradication and Control Methods for the Management of the Ascidian
Didemnum perlucidum
in Western Australia'.
e. Inspection (and cleaning where appropriate) of moorings in high risk areas; and
f. Regular inspections of high-risk vessels for this and other marine pests.
(5) Chevron has offered to consider working with the Department to investigate the potential control of
Didemnum perlucidum
in the waters of Barrow Island. This will be contingent on the cross-agency working group determining the feasibility of such an approach, and a demonstrated low risk of
Didemnum perlucidum
being reintroduced through natural dispersal.
(6) The 11 recommendations are listed in the attached
[see tabled paper no].
The status of each one is as follows:
i. Developed a network of experts and trained personnel to quickly identify
Didemnum perlucidum
both within the Department of Fisheries and within agencies in the Northern Territory, Victoria and NSW.
ii. Surveys have been conducted at a range of ports and marinas. In addition, the results of vessel and marine environment biosecurity inspections continue to be gathered by the Department so that distribution maps of
Didemnum perlucidum
can continue to be updated.
iii. The sectors at risk have been identified and are targeted with regular updates on the spread of
Didemnum perlucidum
and potential control and eradication measures they are trialled.
iv. Additional research continues to establish behaviour and biology.
v. The areas for eradication are yet to be identified.
vi. This will occur when the areas for potential eradication (if any) are identified.
vii. The potential routes and vectors have begun to be mapped.
viii. As yet unknown.
ix. Commenced consideration of disposal options.
x. The Department of Fisheries has trialled a number of measures in preparation for any eradication program.
xi. The site-specific management plan will depend on the outcome of the high value/high risk asset mapping and the dispersal model predictions.
(7) A regional strategy will be developed as an outcome of the high value/high risk asset mapping and dispersal model predictions (described in 6 (xi) above).
(2) Since February 2012, the Department of Fisheries (Department) has spent about $1.23 million on research, compliance, policy and management of
Didemnum perlucidum
in WA. Outcomes of this work are relevant to the management of other pests.
(3) The Statewide cross-agency working group has had two meetings.
(4) The practical steps include:
a. Preliminary mapping of high value and high risk assets in WA waters;
b. The commencement of development of an appropriate model to predict the dispersal, spread and distribution of
Didemnum perlucidum
over time;
c. Regular communication with key stakeholders (including ports, potentially affected fisheries and aquaculturists, and oil and gas industry);
d. Published Research Report - 'Potential Eradication and Control Methods for the Management of the Ascidian
Didemnum perlucidum
in Western Australia'.
e. Inspection (and cleaning where appropriate) of moorings in high risk areas; and
f. Regular inspections of high-risk vessels for this and other marine pests.
(5) Chevron has offered to consider working with the Department to investigate the potential control of
Didemnum perlucidum
in the waters of Barrow Island. This will be contingent on the cross-agency working group determining the feasibility of such an approach, and a demonstrated low risk of
Didemnum perlucidum
being reintroduced through natural dispersal.
(6) The 11 recommendations are listed in the attached
[see tabled paper no].
The status of each one is as follows:
i. Developed a network of experts and trained personnel to quickly identify
Didemnum perlucidum
both within the Department of Fisheries and within agencies in the Northern Territory, Victoria and NSW.
ii. Surveys have been conducted at a range of ports and marinas. In addition, the results of vessel and marine environment biosecurity inspections continue to be gathered by the Department so that distribution maps of
Didemnum perlucidum
can continue to be updated.
iii. The sectors at risk have been identified and are targeted with regular updates on the spread of
Didemnum perlucidum
and potential control and eradication measures they are trialled.
iv. Additional research continues to establish behaviour and biology.
v. The areas for eradication are yet to be identified.
vi. This will occur when the areas for potential eradication (if any) are identified.
vii. The potential routes and vectors have begun to be mapped.
viii. As yet unknown.
ix. Commenced consideration of disposal options.
x. The Department of Fisheries has trialled a number of measures in preparation for any eradication program.
xi. The site-specific management plan will depend on the outcome of the high value/high risk asset mapping and the dispersal model predictions.
(7) A regional strategy will be developed as an outcome of the high value/high risk asset mapping and dispersal model predictions (described in 6 (xi) above).
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