TAS: Slack biosecurity poses "rock snot" threat: fishermen

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2008
TAS: Slack biosecurity poses "rock snot" threat: fishermen

By Paul Carter

HOBART, Aug 27 AAP - Australia's alpine waterways will be choked with "rock snot" if
its lackadaisical biosecurity approach to the highly invasive alga is not drastically
improved, a fishing group says.

The alga didymo, commonly known as "rock snot", can form massive smothering blooms
on the bottom of streams, rivers and lakes, as it has in New Zealand since 2004.

People in New Zealand are legally obliged to prevent its spread by drying and cleaning
gear when moving from one waterway to another.

Didymo expert Cathy Kilroy today warned Australian authorities at a Hobart conference
there is a "real risk" it will be introduced inadvertently by fishermen, bushwalkers or
kayakers returning from New Zealand.

"Any equipment that has been used in freshwater has the potential to carry the alga,
particularly larger recreational equipment such as kayaks, rafts and paddles."

Dr Kilroy said "rock snot" can be spread by a single drop of water.

Anglers Alliance Tasmania executive officer Richard Dax today said the 30,000 anglers
his group represented were "absolutely concerned" about the threat.

Mr Dax said the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) approach to rock snot
was lackadaisical.

"Much more drastically needs to be done at airports and ports. It's not coordinated
and it's not seen as being serious enough," Mr Dax told AAP.

"The bottom line is that once it gets in here there's no way to control it.

"It will run rampant, particularly in Tasmania, because it loves cold water that runs fast."

Mr Dax said AQIS did not scrutinise bushwalkers and kayakers as much as it should,
concentrating instead on fishermen.

Anglers also criticise the ad-hoc, spasmodic Australian decontamination process. In
Australia it can take days for gear to be returned when all gear in New Zealand is decontaminated
in about 10 minutes, Mr Dax said.

"Australian biosecurity officers are not doing nearly enough at points of entry," he said.

The conference was told today didymo also poses a devastating threat to hydro-electric
and agricultural industries.

The head of biosecurity in Tasmania's Department of Primary Industry and Water, Alex
Schaap, downplayed the fishermen's criticisms.

"Anglers are a high-risk pathway but bushwalkers boots are of interest to quarantine
officers for various reasons, so I don't think it's fair to say they are not getting reasonable
attention," he told AAP.

"And my understanding is that the import requirements for didymo are being reviewed
and that includes looking at different treatment options.

"But it's fair to say that whatever we do there will be an inconvenience to anglers,
bushwalkers and others returning from New Zealand."

Comment was being sought from AQIS.

AAP pc/lh/bwl

KEYWORD: SNOT (PIX AVAILABLE)

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