Stay
States and territories will reopen their borders to bees from most of NSW for the primary time since an outbreak of varroa mite was detected in Newcastle in June final 12 months.
In what has been described as a significant milestone for Aussie beekeepers, the NSW emergency blue zone has been declared freed from the invasive mite.
Pink and purple zones stay in place in areas surrounding Newcastle the place beekeepers are nonetheless required to keep up shut surveillance on the well being of their hives and often report back to authorities.
NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders mentioned different states will reopen within the coming weeks for the switch of bees and hives from the Blue Zone throughout borders for pollination.
“It is a vital step within the combat to eradicate the mite, and for our beekeepers and pollination-reliant industries which have achieved it robust over the previous seven months,” Mr Saunders mentioned.
“However this isn’t the time for complacency; now greater than ever, we’d like beekeepers to ensure they proceed to do the suitable factor and keep their alcohol-wash surveillance so we proceed to maneuver in the suitable route.”
NSW will work with South Australia, Victoria and Queensland to develop a set of circumstances governing interstate motion.
Australian Honeybee Trade Council chief govt Danny Le Feuvre mentioned the information added to confidence that the eradication of varroa mite in NSW was doable.
“Whereas the business will proceed to be impacted by the varroa mite’s incursion, endorsement of this paper is a crucial step ahead in attaining enterprise continuity, as greatest we are able to, for the business,” he mentioned.
In November final 12 months a contemporary outbreak of varroa mite was detected at a property close to Cessnock, prompting an enlargement of the present crimson zone, which applies to all hives inside a 10km radius of an contaminated premises.
These inside the crimson zone are required to destroy their hives fully to cease the unfold of varroa mite.
A purple zone, making use of to hives inside a 15km radius past the crimson zone, have been thought-about a part of the emergency surveillance zone.
All different elements of the state have been deemed blue zones and have been additionally below tight restrictions by way of transporting hives.
NSW has roughly 13,000 registered business and leisure beekeepers.
