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Waikato Regional Council remains committed to its plan to release a fruit fly as a biological control agent for moth plant, despite strong opposition from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
The Environmental Protection Authority called for public feedback on the fruit fly release early last year and received 60 submissions – 48 supported the application, eight opposed it and four were neutral.
Many of the submissions in favour were from environmental groups who felt they were losing the battle to control moth plant, which was taking a heavy toll on local native plants.
At the end of the submission period, the council put the application on hold to discuss the concerns raised by MPI, who believed the release of the fruit fly (Anastrepha australis) was likely to adversely impact the export of fresh produce.
The MPI submissions said that while A. australis was not an economically significant species of fruit fly, 11 countries listed any species in the Anastrepha genus as a quarantine pest.
Three of those countries – Chile, New Caledonia and Seychelles – require phytosanitary certificates to include additional declarations for the absence of A. australis.
MPI’s submission said that New Zealand currently exported significant quantities of fresh produce to both New Caledonia and Chile.
In the case of New Caledonia, it would mean treatment would need to be negotiated and then applied to all fresh produce exported to New Caledonia, at a cost to the industries.
Meeting Chile’s quarantine requirements would involve setting up a Pest Free Area, which would involve considerable resource and time to set up and maintain.
“A potential alternative would be for MPI to negotiate a change in requirements with New Caledonia and Chile, but it is uncertain what the outcome of such negotiations would be, how long they would take, and whether trade could continue during the negotiation process,” the submission said.
“Before MPI could support the release of A. australis, we would require the applicant [Waikato Regional Council] to work with MPI to negotiate the necessary changes in our existing requirements with trading partners.
“We also note that these negotiations would be a cost recovered activity that the applicant would be required to fund.”
The regional council says it will pursue the release of the fruit fly, on behalf of the Biocontrol Collective, a consortium of regional councils, unitary authorities and the Department of Conservation that funds applied weed biocontrol research in New Zealand.
Waikato pest plants team leader Darion Embling says that there are unlikely to be any impacts on New Zealand’s primary production regarding release of A. australis due to its host specifity.
A. australis is a South American fruit fly that is wasp-like in size, shape and colour. Females lay their eggs in moth plant fruit and the larvae eat the seeds inside, damaging the plant and stopping it spreading.
Moth plant was introduced to New Zealand from South America as an ornamental in the 1880s.
It has spread throughout the North Island including many areas around Mahurangi, as well as the Nelson/Marlborough area. It grows heavily over other plants, smothering anything below it.
In 2019, the moth plant beetle, Freudeita cf cuppripennis, a leaf beetle whose larvae feed on the roots, was released. Landcare Research says establishment has been successful following early releases.
