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Biosecurity New Zealand Birkdale fruit fly update, February 23 2025
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Biosecurity New Zealand media release – Birkdale fruit fly update
Source: police-emblem-97
The biosecurity response to the discovery of a single male Oriental fruit fly in Birkdale on Auckland’s North Shore is making good progress, with extra traps in place, stepped-up checks and legal controls introduced, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand regional Commissioner North.
“Special bins have started being delivered for fruit and vegetable waste disposal and that will continue over the weekend, and a mobile laboratory to check fruit and vegetables is in place.
“Our team is back out today as we continue to ramp up our response efforts to ensure there are no other fruit flies around,” Mr Inglis says.
There were already more than 60 Oriental fruit fly surveillance traps in the North Shore area, and nearly 700 traps aimed at other fruit fly species. Over the weekend, around 100 extra Oriental fruit fly traps will be in place within a 1500-metre area of the original find.
“Yesterday, we introduced legal controls to restrict the movement of fruit and vegetables around the location where the fruit fly was found to stop the spread of any other Oriental fruit flies that may be out there.
“We’ve been delivering information to residential letterboxes about the two zones affected by restrictions and people can also find full information about what they need to do here.”
“People will notice biosecurity signage up in the area and we delivered special disposal bins for fruit and vegetable waste this morning.”
Mr Inglis says instead of putting waste in rubbish bins to be disposed of normally, residents in the two zones are being asked to put fruit and vegetable waste into the special response bins for Biosecurity New Zealand to dispose of securely.
Every household in Zone A will have a fruit and vegetable disposal bin, and in Zone B, there will be bins placed around the edge of the zone, primarily on major transport routes and more within the Zone.
“The bins in Zone A will be cleared daily initially, then as required. There will be no need to put them out on the street as they will be serviced, re-bagged and insecticide applied in bags and inside lids where they are currently placed. If residents have any issues with the bin or need them cleared earlier, they can call us on 0800 80 99 66.
“I want to thank the local community for their positive response to our team so far. In the previous 13 occasions we’ve found fruit flies in New Zealand we’ve successfully eradicated them with the help of our horticulture sector partners and local communities, so it’s important everyone plays their part. At present, the restrictions will be in place for a fortnight.”
We will send out a further update at 10am tomorrow.
For media queries, call 029 894 0328 or email media@mpi.govt.nz
Auckland fruit fly – controls on produce movements now in place
Source: police-emblem-97
Biosecurity New Zealand has now placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Birkdale and nearby areas on the North Shore following the detection of a single male Oriental fruit fly, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
The horticulture pest was found in one of Biosecurity New Zealand’s national surveillance traps which are placed in fruit trees in residential backyards. Other traps in the area checked in recent days showed no signs of other flies and our initial investigations have found no other signs to date.
“While there is no evidence of a breeding population at this stage, we need community help to make sure we successfully find and eradicate any further fruit flies that may be present in the area,” Mr Inglis says.
Biosecurity New Zealand staff have been busy in the area today laying more traps and giving out information to households. Around 100 additional traps which specifically target oriental fruit fly are being placed within a 1,500m area of the original find.
“There have been 13 previous fruit fly incursions in New Zealand, which we have successfully eradicated so we have a very strong and detailed operational plan to guide our work.
“The rules now in place prohibit moving fruit and vegetables out of a specified controlled area around where the fruit fly was found.”
You can find a detailed map of the controlled area and a full description of the boundaries and rules in place here:
The controlled area has 2 zones – A and B. Zone A is a 200-metre zone. Zone B covers 1,500m.
- Zone A: No whole fresh fruit and vegetables, except for leafy vegetables and soil-free root vegetables, can be moved outside Zone A. This applies to all produce, regardless of whether it was bought or grown.
- Zone B: All fruit and vegetables grown within Zone B cannot be moved out of the controlled area.
“These legal controls are an important precaution. Should there be any more flies out there, this will help prevent their spread out of the area,” Mr Inglis says.
“It is likely the restrictions will be in place for at least 2 weeks.”
Signs will also be put in place notifying people of the restrictions and marking the controlled area boundaries.
“While it’s disappointing to detect another Oriental fruit fly so soon after closing our previous response in Papatoetoe, the latest find highlights the value of our trapping and surveillance efforts.
“It is not unprecedented to have multiple detections. In 2019, we successfully responded to fruit fly detections in 3 Auckland suburbs, showing the effectiveness of New Zealand’s biosecurity system,” Mr Inglis says.
Biosecurity New Zealand is working closely with the horticultural industry.
“We all appreciate this will be inconvenient for the many people living in and around the controlled area, but following these directions is a critical precaution to protect our horticultural industries, home gardens and our New Zealand way of life.”
To report suspected finds of fruit fly, call MPI’s Pest and Diseases Hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
Detail about the controlled area
Zone A
No fruit and vegetables (other than leafy or soil free root vegetables and cooked, processed, preserved, dried, frozen and canned fruit) can be moved from Zone A of the controlled area.
Compost and green waste from gardens also cannot be moved out of this zone.
Residents in Zone A are asked to avoid composting fruit and vegetables. To dispose of fruit and vegetable waste, use a sink waste disposal unit if available, or bins provided by Biosecurity New Zealand. These bins will be delivered shortly, and residents advised of their location.
Zone B
No fruit and vegetables grown in the Zone B can be moved out of the controlled area. You are free to move commercially purchased fruit and vegetables (for example fruit and vegetables brought at the supermarket) out of the area. Homegrown produce waste and garden waste needs to be disposed of in Biosecurity New Zealand bins.
For further information and general enquiries, email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
Biosecurity New Zealand investigating and boosting trapping after new Auckland fruit fly find
Source: police-emblem-97
A biosecurity operation is under way and extra field teams are today in the suburb of Birkdale, on Auckland’s North Shore, after the discovery of a single male Oriental fruit fly in a surveillance trap in a suburban backyard, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
“This is the same species of fruit fly that we responded to in Papatoetoe recently, but it is too early to say whether the two finds are linked. Our lab will do further DNA analysis of the fly over the coming days.”
With this latest detection, Biosecurity New Zealand is moving quickly to look for any others and eradicate them.
“We will be ramping up trapping and inspection, with daily checks in a 200-metre zone from the original find and checks every three days in a second zone out to 1500m,” Mr Inglis says.
“The capture of a single male does not mean we have an outbreak. However, while we do our checks for any other fruit flies, we need community help to prevent any possible spread.
“As a precautionary measure, we’ll be putting legal restrictions in place on the movement of fruit and vegetables out of the area where the fruit fly was found.
“Instructions about these controls and the exact area affected will be issued tomorrow (Friday) once we have completed an initial investigation. In the meantime, we ask that people who live and work in the suburb not take any whole fresh fruit and vegetables out of your property.”
Mr Inglis says biosecurity staff will be out tomorrow providing people with information.
“You may notice increased activity in the neighbourhood as we go about inspections and trapping. Our field officers may ask to look at fruit trees on your property. They will always show you a form of official identification and will only enter your property with your permission.”
In addition to the field work, Biosecurity New Zealand is working closely with international trading partners and Government Industry Agreement (GIA) partners in the horticultural industry to minimise the risk to New Zealand growers and exporters.
“There have been 13 incursions of different fruit fly in Auckland and Northland since 1996 and all have been successfully eradicated thanks to the work of Biosecurity New Zealand, our horticulture partners, and local communities who have stepped up to help.
“Back in 2019, we responded to the detection of fruit flies in three separate suburbs over a period of several months, so this is not unusual. We traced and tracked in all three suburbs and continued until we were confident we had eliminated the pest.”
Mr Inglis says the latest find demonstrates the benefit and effectiveness of MPI’s lure-based fruit fly surveillance trapping network and the biosecurity system.
“Our trapping network involves nearly 8,000 traps set nationwide, and these are checked regularly.
“By setting traps for these pest insects, we are able to find them early, know exactly where the problem is, and respond quickly and effectively.”
The fruit fly poses no human health risk, but there would be an economic cost to the horticulture industry if it were allowed to establish here.
Mr Inglis says Biosecurity New Zealand has among the strictest controls in the world for the importation of fruit and checks at the border. The most likely way that fruit flies can arrive in New Zealand is on fresh fruit and vegetables.
Biosecurity New Zealand will provide a further update to media tomorrow afternoon.
To report suspected finds of fruit fly, call MPI’s Pest and Diseases Hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
Background
The Oriental fruit fly is native to Asia but has now spread to many warmer countries, especially as the climate warms. Adult flies lay eggs into fruit. The young stages (maggots) feed inside the fruit, causing it to rot and become unmarketable.
The Oriental fruit fly maggots can feed on 300 different fruit and vegetables. The fly’s favourite hosts are apple, guava, mango, peach, and pear.
How to identify the fly
Adult flies:
- are a little larger than a housefly (6mm to 8mm long)
- have a dark “T” shaped marking on the abdomen (the part behind the waist)
- usually have a bright yellow and orange abdomen (but can vary)
- have clear wings.
The female fly has a pointed “sting” to lay eggs inside fruit (but she can’t sting or bite people). The male fruit fly is a similar size but is reddish-brown.
If you think you’ve found the fruit fly
For media queries, call 029 894 0328 or email media@mpi.govt.nz
Chicken nuggets recalled due to possible presence of blue rubber
Source: police-emblem-97
New Zealand Food Safety is supporting Foodstuffs Own Brands in its recall of Pams brand Tempura Coated Chicken Nuggets as they may contain small pieces of blue rubber.
“If you have a 1kg bag of Pams Tempura Coated Chicken Nuggets with a best-before date of 16 October 2025, don’t eat them,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.
“Return the nuggets to the place of purchase for a refund or, if that’s not possible, throw them out.”
The affected products are sold at Four Square, Gilmours, New World, Pak’nSave and Social Supermarket stores nationwide.
The products have been removed from stores and have not been exported.
Visit New Zealand Food Safety’s food recall page for up-to-date information and photographs of the affected product.
Pams brand Tempura Coated Chicken Nuggets
The problem came to light as a result of a customer complaint, and New Zealand Food Safety has had no notification of associated issues.
“As is our usual practice, we will work with Foodstuffs Own Brands to understand how this issue arose and to prevent it happening again,” says Mr Arbuckle.
The vast majority of food sold in New Zealand is safe, but sometimes problems can occur. Help keep yourself and your family safe by subscribing to our recall alerts.
Information on how to subscribe is on the New Zealand Food Safety food recall page.
For further information and general enquiries, email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
Fishing company fined $16,500 for not using tori line, submitting false statement on fish landing return
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A north Auckland fishing company has been fined $16,500 for failing to use the required fishing gear and providing a false statement on their fish landing return.
Macnicol Fishing Limited was sentenced in the North Shore District Court on 3 charges on Friday (14 February 2025) under the Fisheries Act, following a successful prosecution by Fisheries New Zealand.
The company did not use tori lines which are required to prevent accidental seabird capture when surface long lining. Fish landing returns record where a fish was caught for the purposes of sustainable fisheries management.
“All longliners are expected to use tori lines when surface longlining. Video footage showed the fishing vessel, Carolina M, was longlining without using this bird scaring device – which increases the risk of catching endangered seabirds.
“The rules are there for a reason and most commercial fishers follow them closely,” says Fisheries New Zealand district manager, fisheries compliance, Glen Blackwell.
Off the coast of the Bay of Plenty, another of the company’s vessels, Kiella, filed an electronic report identifying a different area to where the fish was actually harvested from.
The following month, the Kiella filed another incorrect electronic report, related to its catch of snapper and trevally. Both these incidents occurred in areas, north of Auckland.
Mr Blackwell says accurate reporting is essential to sustainable management of our fisheries.
“It is a fisher’s responsibility to accurately report their catch. This information is an important part of considerations when setting catch limits, so we take misreporting seriously.”
MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry’s 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 476 224)
For further information and general enquiries, email info@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
Auckland fruit fly controls lifted
Source: police-emblem-97
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.
The decision to end the operation follows more than a month of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit.
Mr Inglis thanked residents and businesses in the affected area for their support with the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies and safely disposing of fruit in provided bins.
“I can’t stress enough how vital this work has been to protect our horticultural sector. This particular insect pest is a significant threat to horticultural exports and home gardens.”
Biosecurity New Zealand quickly placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in an area of Papatoetoe on 4 January 2025 after a single male Oriental fruit fly was identified from a national surveillance trap.
“No further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae or pupae have been found,” says Mr Inglis.
“We are satisfied that with no further detections over six weeks, the Controlled Area Notice restrictions can be lifted, and response operations closed.”
The Biosecurity New Zealand signs and wheelie bins will be removed from the affected area in Papatoetoe over the next few days.
Mr Inglis says checking of Biosecurity New Zealand’s 7,800 fruit fly traps around the country, including some 200 traps in the Papatoetoe/Māngere area, will continue as normal.
“Our people will be out in the Papatoetoe community today, handing out flyers about the response closure and personally thanking residents and business owners for their contribution to the effort.
“I’d also like to acknowledge the good work of our people and our partners across the horticulture sector. By working together, and responding quickly, we have managed this situation well.”
Key figures:
- More than 1,500 individual visits were made to check the 109 special fruit fly response traps in Papatoetoe/Māngere throughout the response.
- These traps are in addition to 187 routine fruit fly surveillance traps in the area.
- Over 600 biosecurity bins distributed in the community to collect produce waste for safe disposal.
- More than 470 kilos of fruit cut up and examined for any signs of fruit fly eggs or larvae.
- More than 150 Biosecurity New Zealand staff were involved throughout the response.
Find out what we did and why we have now closed the response
For more information, email BiosecurityNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz
For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.
“Little battler” black-fronted terns defy the odds
Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house
Date: 10 April 2025
The nationally endangered birds which nest on an island in the Upper Ōhau River battled an unseasonal and very heavy snowfall which buried them and their nests.
The birds have a unique colony in the Upper Ōhau river system where around 700 of them nest each season. This colony is the largest in the country.
This breeding season got off to an amazing start with 360 nests, and the rangers could not believe it. “We were so stoked to have so many nests on the island, and no signs of depredation,” said Sam Turner, Department of Conservation Biodiversity Ranger for Project River Recovery.
Before the snow came, the rangers’ big concern was the ever-present risk of predators wiping them out. “Norway rats are incredibly good swimmers and if we get even one on the island while the birds are incubating their eggs, it can cause the entire colony to abandon their nests. For four years in a row, we had zero fledglings due to rats and other predators, so it is a stressful time.”
The unseasonal snow fall came in late October. Sam Turner feared the worst.
“There was at least 20cm of snow blanketing the whole of the Mackenzie Basin. We didn’t know what was happening to the birds on the island and we didn’t know how they would handle so much deep snow.”
“We checked our trail cameras and saw the parents had stayed on their nests until the very last moment. They were up to their necks but had to abandon the nests to save themselves. It was impressive how hardy and dedicated the terns were, but heart breaking to see the snow bury everything.”
But just over a week later, the resilient birds came back to give it another go and began laying eggs on the island and on an adjacent terrace.
“It was incredible, really, and such a relief for our team. But we now had a big job on our hands to protect the birds from predators – especially the birds that renested on the terrace because without protection from the natural moat they had on the island, they were super vulnerable to hedgehogs, which demolish their eggs.”
“We erected a temporary hedgehog barrier and set up traps on the terrace where some of the terns nested. We upped our feral cat control, and when we detected a stoat and her kits in the area, we also brought through a conservation dog and handler trained in detecting stoats. It was a massive collaborative effort from the DOC team.”
It all paid off. Sam Turner estimates at least 100 chicks fledged from the breeding colony and have now flown to the coastline for the winter.
“It’s been such an intense season, lots of emotions so it’s hard to put into words. It’s been such a roller coast given everything that has happened. The snow dump was so out of left field and such terrible timing, but to our relief these little birds had a successful breeding season with a bit of help from us. It’s super rewarding seeing them fly away.”
“What we want the public to know is how special these birds are and what they’re up against. They’re only found in New Zealand and that’s the reason we work so hard as if we lose them, they’re gone for good. What’s amazing is how these little terns have beaten the odds this season and that’s something we are so proud of.”
“One alarming statistic is that 25 million native birds are killed by invasive predators in New Zealand. Nature is under pressure, and we’re finding increasingly difficult challenges every year, especially with the extreme weather events like the big snow dumps during the breeding season.”
“Our job is to make sure these endangered birds have successful breeding years so that they are still around for many years to come.”
Contact
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz
Work to protect Ocean Beach begins
Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house
Date: 10 April 2025
The beach has been off limits to public since 2018 when contaminants including asbestos were found on the beach.
An asbestos removal company has since cleared about 1.2 tonnes of contaminated material from the beach.
DOC Operations Manager Murihiku John McCarroll says the risk of public exposure is considered extremely low, but ongoing public and environmental risk is not acceptable, and further erosion will deteriorate the landfill – so there is a need to act.
This next phase is to prevent any future contamination of the site and allow public access to be restored.
“DOC and Invercargill City Council (ICC) are collaborating to install a rock seawall between the landfill and the beach,” says John.
“First, waste will be excavated and sorted, reclaimable clean material will be used within the site and the rest will be removed for disposal at an authorised class A landfill. Up to 6,500 tonne of rocks will then be used to build a 90 m long wall to prevent future erosion and secure this significant heritage site for the Bluff area.”
The coastal protection wall and landfill removal cost is around $3.5m and is being funded by DOC, ICC and Ministry for the Environment (MfE). The work is being carried out under guidance of the Ocean Beach Landfill Working Party which includes representatives from Environment Southland and Te Ao Mārama inc who represent Murihiku tangata whenua for resource management purposes.
ICC Chief Engineer Russell Pearson said public safety will be paramount during the work being undertaken.
“With work happening between April and June this year, there will be, at times, no access to the car park and beach areas. Restrictions will be publicly notified as early as possible.”
Bluff Community Board Chair Ray Fife said he was glad to see progress: “I am pleased this work is now being undertaken after the extensive investigation.”
Contact
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz
Tiny Tara iti travels near and far
Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house
Date: 08 April 2025
Tara iti/NZ fairy tern is New Zealand’s rarest endemic breeding bird. With fewer than 45 individuals, the tara iti is nationally critical and despite intensive management has teetered on the brink of extinction since the 1980s. The tara iti, like many of New Zealand’s native species are unique and special. We have more threatened species than anywhere else in the world – more than 4000 are threatened or at risk of extinction.
Senior Biodiversity Ranger Alex Wilson says the tiny Tara iti weighs a mere 70 grams, but the youngster from a “plucky and feisty” species clocked up more than 1700 km during four epic flights in February and March. The bird, part of the DOC-Auckland Zoo Tara iti captive rearing programme is fitted with a small “backpack” transmitter to track its movements.
Over two days in late February, the little Tara iti covered 508 km on a trip around Northland, leaving from and returning to Kaipara Harbour. Two weeks later, in mid-March, it set off on the first of two visits to Thames in Coromandel, covering more than 600 km in total.
“Its final effort was the most impressive, leaving Kaipara on 21 March, arriving in New Plymouth late the next day – clocking up 324 km,” Alex says.
“Over the course of the next three days it returned to Kaipara – with a stop at Kawhia on the way – adding a further 320 km to its journey.”
Alex says it’s not clear why or whether all juvenile Tara iti travel so far, or whether adults also accompany them.
“Up until now we have had to rely on incidental reports of juvenile Tara iti outside their known habitats – so the tracking data from this bird gives valuable insight into the capabilities of young birds.
“A better understanding of their movements and habitat use is a vital development for the programme and the species survival,” she says.
“We’re encouraging people around the North Island to keep an eye out for Tara iti, and report sightings to taraiti@doc.govt.nz, because they could be popping up in all these places,” Alex says.
The public can now donate directly to Tara iti recovery project.
Over the next five years, the NZ Nature Fund in partnership with DOC is seeking to raise $1.57 million for tara iti conservation from public donors and philanthropists. The funds will be used to accelerate DOC’s tara iti recovery programme and ensure the species survives beyond the next 50 years through a number of initiatives such as;
- Developing between three and five new safe breeding sites within the birds existing habitat range, but outside the four main current nesting sites.
- Creating new habitats with shell patches at the existing and new breeding sites.
- Expanding the buffer predator control range so all tara iti breeding have sufficient control to ensure protection.
To donate visit NZ Nature Fund
Background information
DOC works closely with partners, including iwi groups Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, Nga Maungawhakahii O Kaipara Development Trust, Ngāti Wai Trust Board, and Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Auckland Zoo, The Shorebirds Trust, NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, About Tern, Birds NZ, Auckland Council, Tara Iti Golf Club, NZ Nature Fund and local trapping groups.
Generous support for the breeding season has been provided by organisations such as the Shorebirds Trust, Endangered Species Foundation, Pākiri Beach Holiday Park, Auckland Council, Manāki Whitebait, Tongariro National Trout Centre, and New Zealand King Salmon.
Contact
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz