If you are involved in outdoor recreational activities in Tasmania, including fishing, diving, hunting, surfing, bushwalking, mountain biking, kayaking, golfing or similar activities, you have an important role to play in helping to protect the state from the impact of pests, weeds and disease.
Listed below are some biosecurity actions you can take to meet your General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) and to help keep you - and Tasmania - biosecurity safe.
Important Biosecurity Actions
Biosecurity vigilance (also known as Notification of a Biosecurity Event)
If you SEE something while participatig in yoru recreational activities that is unusual or of biosecurity concern, such as potential exotic plant/animal pests, weeds or diseases, or invasive animal species;
SECURE the site by restricting access (and limiting movement in the case of suspected animal diseases) AND take a photo, noting the location; and then
REPORT it to Biosecurity Tasmania as soon as possible - see reporting details below.
Please note: Taking your own samples may increase the risk of spreading the biosecurity risk so Biosecurity Tasmania will provide further instruction regarding possible sample collection and submission.
If you are travelling to Tasmania to participate in recreational activities, CHECK, CLEAN and DRY your equipment before departing your home.
Thoroughly CHECK, CLEAN and DRY your recreational equipment, including waders, footwear, all camping equipment, sports equipment, bikes, boats and vehicles, of mud, soil, algae and plant material before you arrive at or leave each location.
- Carrying a basic, personal biosecurity kit is a good way of decontaminating vehicles, clothing and equipment. Recommended contents and instructions on putting a kit together can be found at the Farm Biosecurity website.
In remote areas where completely drying footwear and other equipment is not possible, DISINFECT by spraying with F10 solution or a similar product (or for absorbent materials, SOAK and SCRUB with F10 solution or similar for at least one minute).
If you are an angler and have fished in locations such as New Zealand, North America, Canada, Great Britain or Asia, thoroughly CHECK, CLEAN and DRY all your fishing equipment before you fish in Tasmania to stop the introduction of the biosecurity pest didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) - also called Rock Snot.
If you have approval to access private properties, farms and other restricted locations for recreational activities, ensure that you abide by any biosecurity restrictions put in place by landowners and managers. For example, leave farm gates as you found them (i.e. open or closed), unless otherwise instructed by the property owner or manager, or signage. Report any damage to fences to the property owner/manager to prevent the escape or entry of livestock or other animals.
Contact and reporting
Contact Biosecurity Tasmania for general information or to report a suspected pest, weed or disease:
Phone: (03) 6165 3777
Email: Biosecurity.Tasmania@nre.tas.gov.au
Alternatively, for reporting pests, weeds or diseases, you can call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline (1800 084 881) or the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 858).
Stay up to date on Biosecurity in Tasmania
Subscribing to get Tasmanian Biosecurity Advisories is the best way you can keep yourself up-to-date and fully informed about Tasmanian biosecurity issues. Our Advisories cover topics such as changes or proposed changes to Tasmania’s import regulations, animal health and welfare, plant health, forthcoming regulation reviews and opportunities for public comment, new or emerging pest/disease risks and a range of other matters related to Tasmania’s biosecurity.
Please note that this information contains minimum recommendations only. The GBD requires a person dealing with biosecurity matter or a carrier to take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk associated with the dealing. Such measures may not be specified in any regulations, guidelines or other official publications.