Surveillance network aids early detection

THE biosecurity response ramped up, following confirmed detections in the suburbs of South Perth and Como, in an effort to maintain Western Australia’s area freedom status from this invasive pest.

Qfly (Bactrocera tryoni) is a serious pest that attacks more than 300 species of fruit and fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes, capsicum and chillies.

The pest was detected via DPIRD’s Qfly Surveillance Network of traps, located throughout the metropolitan area and in strategic regional locations. The detection highlights the importance of the early warning traps to aid early detection and an efficient biosecurity response.

A DPIRD biosecurity response team of more than 120 personnel are working on the response from the State Biosecurity Response Centre in Canning Vale.

More than 120 DPIRD personnel are working on the Qfly biosecurity response.

An extensive surveillance, baiting and treatment campaign covers more than 11 square kilometres, across two local government areas.

Field officers will visit more than 9,000 residences and businesses to inspect properties, deploy lures and baited insecticide, while educating residents about their role in supporting the response efforts.

The department’s biosecurity response team is adept at responding to Qfly detections — having previously eradicated the pest from the metropolitan area 10 times over the past 40 years.

Quarantine Area and residents’ support crucial to biosecurity response

A Quarantine Area was declared on 17 April to help prevent the pest from spreading.

The Quarantine Area includes two zones — a corrective action zone around where the pest was first found (Red Zone) and a buffer zone of surrounding suburbs within a 15 kilometre radius of the initial detections (Orange Zone).

DPIRD’s Qfly webpage features an online interactive map where residents can enter their address to find if their property is in the Red or Orange Zones.

Residents and businesses in the Red Zone are required to strip ripe and ripening fruit every three days, which needs to be consumed, cooked, frozen or solarised for at least a week, before disposing of in the red general waste bin. Importantly, any fruit that has fallen on the ground must be collected immediately.

These efforts are complemented by an integrated communications campaign, including letters, media, social media, signage, fliers and community engagement.

Local government have been extremely supportive, amplifying communications and proactively undertaking mitigation strategies.

The biosecurity response is working with Perth Markets, farmers markets, retailers and nurseries in the Orange Zone to support quarantine measures, such as covering produce and inspecting farmers markets to ensure host fruit and fruiting vegetables are securely covered.

Why Qfly eradication is important

Qfly is present in some other parts of Australia but is not established in Western Australia, giving local growers a competitive market advantage.

Maintaining Area Freedom status avoids an estimated $38 million per year in production and market access losses.

Qfly Area Freedom status allows WA growers to access valuable export markets, such as avocados to Thailand and strawberries to Japan.

Qfly is also a risk to fresh food yields, quality and increased treatment costs.

Industry support and vigilance essential for success

Growers have an integral role to play in the Qfly biosecurity response by adhering to Quarantine Area movement requirements and supporting market agents by ensuring deliveries to Perth Markets remain under secure conditions.

The biosecurity response is a good reminder to strengthen onfarm biosecurity through simple, everyday practices that reinforce pests and disease defences.

This includes vigilant waste management, regular monitoring and reporting suspect observations via DPIRD’s MyPestGuide Reporter app.