News

Yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) have recently been sighted in the Auckland region.  This non-native pest hornet is not known to be present in New Zealand. Biosecurity New Zealand wants to hear from anyone who has seen this insect, to help us confirm there are no others in the area.   Please click here to download the fact sheet or…

TMBC Biosecurity Excellence Symposium We’re so pleased to share that this year’s TMBC Annual Symposium was a roaring success. Over 110 partners, stakeholders, and biosecurity doers and thinkers, came together at the Papamoa Surf Lifesaving Club for a day of learning, great conversations, and inspiring speakers – all fuelled by a delicious spread from Rise Bakery…

Our September Online Partners Forum took on a global flavour, connecting biosecurity leaders from Aotearoa and around the world to explore common challenges and collaborative solutions for our marine environments. Below are the presentations and resources from the Forum. An introduction to biosecurity in California’s Channel Island’s: History, Progress and Challenges Presented by Nick Holmes (The Nature Conservancy)…

We’re over halfway through 2025, and there’s been no shortage of action across the TMBC network. From new sightings and seasonal biosecurity reminders to community activations and partner milestones, the momentum is building – and we’re here to keep you in the loop. Biosecurity Hunt a Hit – Still Available to Play! The 2025 Tauranga Moana…

Over 350 locals stepped up for biosecurity this Easter as the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Hunt returned for another year of fun, learning, and community action. The Hunt brought families, schools, and community members together across five locations – Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Te Puke, Katikati, and Waihi Beach – with the shared goal of protecting our…

Toi Moana Biosecurity Summer Biosecurity Ambassadors have been travelling around the bay this summer to spread the word on preventing the spread of marine pests such as invasive exotic caulerpa. This nasty seaweed can smother the sea floor to stop our native kaimoana from thriving. It has not reached the Bay of Plenty but has…

Mediterranean fanworm was first detected in New Zealand in 2008 and is now present in several harbours, including many parts of the of the upper North Island. They form dense beds of up to 1,000 individuals per square metre and are highly effective filter feeders, so they are good at out-competing our native species for…

Christopher Battershill, a member of the TMBC Executive Committee and professor at the University of Waikato, gave an insightful speech this Seaweek! He provided an overview of current research on the blue economy and its sustainability, which was a central focus of the Daybreak Festival of Innovation. The festival took place here in Tauranga on…