Biosecurity Policy & Management

LINZ plays an important role in reducing threats by harmful organisms to New Zealand's unique biodiversity values by controlling pest plants and animals on the land it administers, including the beds of Crown-owned rivers and lakes.

LINZ receives annual appropriations for biosecurity work and develops annual plans to prioritise and manage this work. LINZ biosecurity programmes are carried out in cooperation with other agencies and comply with relevant standards and legislation. Qualified pest control contractors are employed to implement the department's plans.

The control work carried out by LINZ complements efforts by adjoining landowners and provides positive socio-economic and land management benefits for farmers and local communities.

Regional pest management strategies

The overarching legislation for biosecurity in New Zealand is the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act). A regional pest management strategy (RPMS), developed with public input by a regional council, is one of the key tools available under the Act. LINZ's biosecurity programmes voluntarily follow the intent of regional pest management strategies, where these exist.

Contact your regional council to find out more about its regional pest management strategy or use the regional pest management search options on the MAF Biosecurity Performance website.

At a national level, LINZ also works with other government agencies, regional councils and industry to achieve the outcomes of the New Zealand Biosecurity Strategy (2003).

You can read the strategy on the Biosecurity New Zealand website.