Research helps us to improve our understanding of marine pests. This informs our approach to prevent and manage marine pest risks.
Our research is focused on 5 priority areas:
- reducing the risk of marine pest establishment and spread
- strong surveillance
- preparedness
- continuous marine pest biosecurity research and development
- getting businesses, the community and others more engaged.
Read our National priorities for introduced marine pest research and development 2013-2023.
Identification
We continue to expand our marine pest identification information.
Collecting surveillance data improves our knowledge of marine pest distribution and abundance. Our focus is particularly on locations identified as high-risk.
Research outputs:
- Guidelines for the development and validation of assays for marine pests
- Compendium of introduced marine pest molecular studies relevant to Australia
Awareness
We can all help keep our marine environments healthy.
Our goal is to educate industry and the public about the threat of marine pests. To help everyone understand the risks and inspire action to stop the spread.
Building awareness in our community helps everyone play their part. We are working to expand our citizen scientist and community resources.
How you can stop the spread of marine pests.
Research outputs:
Risk pathways
We need to understand how marine pests spread to properly manage those risk pathways.
Ballast water is taken on board by vessels to maintain stability and trim. Ballast water can contain thousands of aquatic microbes, plants and animals. These can be spread across the globe as the vessel releases ballast water.
Unmanaged ballast water released in foreign ports could potentially introduce a range of invasive marine species. Invasions have already taken place around the world. In some instances with significant consequences for the local ecosystem.
Learn more about how vessel operators are required to manage ballast water risks..
Biofouling is another way pests are transported between locations. Our biofouling management guidelines help vessels to reduce this risk.
We undertake research to better understand biofouling risks and ways for vessel operators to manage those risks.
Research outputs:
- An assessment of the non-market value of reducing the risk of marine pest incursions in Australia's waters
- Monitoring for Marine Pests: A review of the design and use of Australia's National monitoring strategy and identification of possible improvements
- Recreational boat operators’ self-management of biofouling in Australia
- Relative contribution of vectors to the introduction and translocation of invasive marine species
- Review of biosecurity and contaminant risks associated with in-water cleaning
- Assessment of reproductive propagule size for biofouling risk groups
Resources
National and international resources to help your marine pest research.
- Integrated Marine Observing System
- National Marine Science Plan 2015-2025 – AIMS
- Marine publications and resources – Department of Environment and Energy
International databases
- Guidebook of Introduced Marine Species of Hawaii
- National Benthic Inventory
- National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Non-indigenous Aquatic Species
- Ocean Biogeographic Information System
- The Exotics Guide: Non-native Marine Species of the North American Pacific Coast
- CIESM Atlas of Exotic Species in the Mediterranean
- European Network on Invasive Alien Species
- FishBase
- RAFTS Scottish Invasive Species Initiative River Biosecurity Plans