Marine Biosecurity Toolbox wins science award

The Cawthron Insitute’s Marine Biosecurity Toolbox Research Programme has won the 2024 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards Science Prize for its groundbreaking work to transform the detection and elimination of invasive marine pests through molecular surveillance technology and analytical platforms. 

MPI’s Stuart Anderson with the New Zealand Biosecurity Science Award winners Cawthron Institute

The five-year programme is focused on protecting New Zealand’s marine environments from the impacts of non-indigenous species by developing transformative tools that empower regulators, industry, mana whenua, and the community to effectively manage risk pathways, prevent pest establishment, and detect and respond to new incursions.

The range of tools allow for timely detection to disrupt critical stages of the invasion process through specialised water sampling linking to an app for automated alert systems that enhance the delivery of a robust marine biosecurity system.

Rapid, cheap and effective molecular sampling tools, analytical platforms and protocols have dramatically improved New Zealand's ability to detect and monitor marine pests.

Through its work, the programme is fostering a new generation of biosecurity scientists, working in collaboration with Māori-led research for implementing mātauranga Māori and science collaboration for biosecurity outcomes.

To find out more about the resources and tools produced through the programme, visit the website.

Story / from the Cawthron Institute. Photo / Supplied

The Marine Biosecurity Toolbox is supported by Auckland Council, Northland Regional Council, Marlborough District Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).