Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Land
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water resources for agriculture, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Biodiversity
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Invasive species
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Wildlife trade
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us Enhancing Australia’s agriculture, environment, heritage and water resources through regulation and partnership.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    A day in the life

    A day in the life...

    Our video series showcases the diverse and important work we do.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Pests, diseases and weeds
  4. Marine pests

Sidebar first - Pests diseases weeds

  • Pests, Diseases and Weeds
    • Report a pest or disease concern
    • Animal pests and diseases
      • Avian Influenza or Bird Flu
        • Bird biosecurity
        • Global avian influenza outbreak situation update
        • Information for recreational shooters
      • Emergency and Exotic Animal Diseases - Bulletins and Alerts
      • Equine Influenza Inquiry - the Government's response
      • Foot-and-mouth disease
        • A review of Australia's preparedness for the threat of foot-and-mouth disease
          • National foot-and-mouth disease vaccination policy
        • Potential for wind-borne spread of FMD in Australia
      • International arrangements for emergency animal disease outbreaks
      • Keeping African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease out of Australia
        • Non-English speaking background communities and swill feeding project
      • Lumpy skin disease
      • National List of Notifiable Animal Diseases
      • National List of Reportable Diseases of Aquatic Animals
      • State and Territory Notifiable Animal Diseases lists
      • Wildlife Exotic Disease Preparedness Program
      • White nose syndrome
    • Aquatic animal diseases
    • Bees and bee pests and diseases
      • Honey bee and pollination continuity strategy
        • Statement of research and development priorities
      • Honey bees, crop pollination and varroa mite frequently asked questions
      • Status of Asian honey bee in Australia
    • Exotic weeds
    • Forests and timber: a field guide to exotic pests and diseases
    • Fruit flies in Australia
      • Managing fruit flies in Australia
        • Sterile Insect Technique use in Australia
      • The Smart Fruit Fly Management Measure
        • Fruit fly economic studies
        • Strengthening Australia’s Fruit Fly System Research Program
        • Technical and scientific projects and activities
    • Locusts
      • Australian locusts
        • Locust and grasshopper identification guide
          • Description of adults
            • 1. Australian Plague Locust: Chortoicetes terminifera
            • 2. Spur-throated locust: Austracris guttulosa
            • 3. Migratory locust: Locusta migratoria
            • 4. Small plague grasshopper: Austroicetes cruciata
            • 5. Other Austroicetes species
            • 6. Eastern plague grasshopper: Oedaleus australis
            • 7. Yellow winged locust: Gastrimargus musicus
            • 8. Bermius brachycelus and other Bermius species
            • 9. Giant or Hedge grasshopper: Valanga irregularis
            • 10. Heteropternis obscurella
            • 11. Peakesia hospita and other species
            • 12. Urnisa guttulosa
            • 13. Aiolopus thalassinus
            • 14. Caledia captiva
            • 15. Wingless grasshopper: Phaulacridium vittatum
          • Description of nymphs
            • 1. Australian Plague Locust: Chortoicetes terminifera (nymph)
            • 2. Spur-throated locust: Austracris guttulosa (nymph)
            • 3. Migratory locust: Locusta migratoria (nymph)
            • 4. Small plague grasshopper: Austroicetes cruciata (nymph)
            • 5. Other Austroicetes species (nymph)
            • 6. Eastern plague grasshopper: Oedaleus australis (nymph)
            • 7. Yellow winged locust: Gastrimargus musicus (nymph)
            • 8. Bermius brachycelus and other Bermius species (nymph)
            • 9. Giant or Hedge grasshopper: Valanga irregularis (nymph)
            • 10. Heteropternis obscurella (nymph)
            • 11. Peakesia hospita and other species (nymph)
            • 12. Urnisa guttulosa (nymph)
            • 13. Aiolopus thalassinus (nymph)
            • 14. Caledia captiva (nymph)
            • 15. Wingless grasshopper: Phaulacridium vittatum (nymph)
        • About locusts
        • Australian plague locust
        • History of locust and grasshopper outbreaks in Australia
        • Links to related websites
        • Migratory locust
        • Spur throated locust
      • Current locust situation
      • Role of the Australian Plague Locust Commission
        • APLC documents
        • Area of operation
        • APLC activities
        • APLC Commissioners
      • Information for landholders
        • APLC strategic control - commencing or ceasing operations
        • APLC offices and contacts
        • Locust control agents-livestock and crop residues
        • Reporting locusts
      • Locust bulletins
        • Terms and Descriptions used in the Locust Bulletin
    • Marine pests
      • Marine Pest Sectoral Committee
      • Review of National Marine Pest Biosecurity
        • Discussion paper submissions
        • Frequently asked questions
        • Marine pest network
        • Issues paper submissions
      • Emergency Marine Pest Plan
    • Pest animals and weeds in Australia
      • Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program
      • Supporting Australia’s regions to manage established pest animals and weeds
      • Control tools and technologies for established pest animals and weeds competitive grants programme
      • Environment and Invasives Committee
      • Funding innovation to tackle pest animals and weeds
      • National Carp Control Plan
    • Plant pests and diseases
      • National action plans
      • Barley stripe rust
      • Begomoviruses and vectors
      • Brown marmorated stink bug
      • Citrus canker
      • Cyst nematodes of grains and vegetables
      • Exotic bees
      • Exotic stem borers of sugarcane
      • Exotic tree nematodes
      • Fire blight
      • Fruit flies
      • Giant African snail
      • Guava (eucalyptus) rust
      • Grape phylloxera
      • Gypsy moth
      • Hessian flies
      • Huanglongbing
      • Internal and external mites of bees
      • Khapra beetle
        • Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle
          • Requirements for high-risk plant products to protect against khapra beetle
          • Requirements for other-risk plant products to protect against khapra beetle
          • Requirements for sea containers to protect against khapra beetle
          • Requirements for seeds for sowing to protect against khapra beetle
        • Khapra beetle in imported goods
        • Khapra beetle bulletin
        • The khapra beetle story
      • Karnal bunt
      • Leaf miner
      • Panama disease tropical race 4
      • Plum pox virus
      • Potato cyst nematode
      • Potato late blight
      • Sudden oak death
      • Xylella and exotic vectors
        • International Symposium on Xylella fastidiosa
      • Russian wheat aphid
      • Tobamoviruses
      • Exotic invasive ants
      • Ug99
      • Wheat stem sawfly
      • Zebra chip
    • Protect your animals and plants from pests and disease
      • Biosecurity engagement
      • Bird biosecurity
        • Avian Influenza (bird flu)
        • Bird flu and our health
        • National Biosecurity Manual - Exhibition poultry
        • National Farm Biosecurity Manual - Poultry production
        • Protect your birds against bird flu and diseases
        • National Water Biosecurity Manual - Poultry production
      • Plate it. Don’t plant it.
      • Vital information for travelling farm workers
      • Biosecurity videos and audio
      • Biosecurity and farmers' markets

Marine pests

​​​White spot disease has been detected in Queensland prawns. Find out about the response currently underway to contain and eradicate the disease.
  • ​​​Review of National Marine Pest Biosecurity

Introduced marine pests are marine plants or animals that are not native to Australia but have been introduced by human activities such as shipping. They have the potential to significantly impact our marine industries and our environment.

Australia has over 250 introduced marine species. Fortunately most have little impact but some, including several crabs, mussels, seastars and seaweeds, have become aggressive pests in some locations.

Australia’s response to the marine pest threat

To protect our marine environment and industries, the Australian and state/territory governments, along with marine industries and marine scientists are implementing Australia's National System for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pest Incursions (the National System).

The National System aims to prevent new marine pests arriving, guide responses when a new pest does arrive and minimise the spread and impact of pests already established in Australia.

The department's role in the fight against marine pests

The department provides national leadership in the development and implementation of the National System and is the lead agency in implementing Australian Government responsibilities under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity and the  National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement.

The department regulates the exchange of ballast water by internationally arriving vessels through the Australian ballast water management requirements. Ballast water exchange is internationally recognised as a major pathway for the global spread of marine pests and it is estimated that up to 30 per cent of the invasive marine species in Australia have arrived via ballast water.

For information on reporting requirements for vessels arriving in Australian waters, see Ballast Water.

The department also represents Australia at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on ballast water and biofouling matters.

Further information about marine pests

The marine pests website provides detailed information on Australia’s general and sector specific marine pest management measures, including:

  • marine pests and their impacts on industry and the environment
  • identifying marine pests
  • interactive map showing distribution of known established marine pests in Australia
  • current marine pest outbreaks
  • managing ballast water requirements
  • managing biofouling on recreational vessels, aquaculture vessels equipment and infrastructure, commercial vessels, commercial fishing vessels, non‑trading vessels, petroleum vessels equipment and infrastructure and marinas, slipways, boat maintenance and recreational boating facilities
  • NIMPIS—the National Introduced Marine Pest Information System.
​

Contacts

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 12 August 2021

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.