Te arotake i Te Mahere Whakahaere Kīrearea ā-Rohe

He aha te kaupapa o Te Mahere?

The Pest Plan is all about how pests can be best managed in Te Taitokerau, to protect te ao tūroa (our natural world), the wellbeing of whānau and communities, and our economy.

The Pest Plan aims to get the right management approaches in place for the many species classed as pests in Te Taitokerau, and direct the right balance of resourcing and funding to the right places and people to tackle them.

Our council leads the development and review of Northland’s Pest Plan because the Biosecurity Act 1993 requires regional councils to ‘provide regional leadership in pest management’.

Read the current (2017) Pest Plan and cost-benefit analysis 

Types of pests that are included in the Pest Plan

There are a huge number of pests threatening our region. The current Pest Plan covers 143 pest species, but there are many more that could be included. It spans animal pests, plant pests, freshwater pests and the microorganism which causes kauri dieback disease. It also includes marine pests, and a marine pathway plan to prevent marine pests from being transported to new places.

Some pests pose a bigger threat than others, some pests are easier to manage than others, many pests are long-established here and a few have arrived only recently.

Not every pest or weed is included in the Pest Plan, and doing a Cost-Benefit Analysis helps us weigh up the pros and cons. Reasons not to include a species in the Pest Plan could be that creating rules wouldn’t be practical or effectively reduce their population; or better controls are already available (e.g. for ragwort there’s a good biocontrol agent, the ragwort flea beetle); or the impact they have on the environment does not warrant their inclusion.

How each pest is classified

The National Policy Direction for Biosecurity provides a pest classification system to define levels of management, based on severity of threat and what can reasonably be done to tackle it.

Other management approaches

Pathway management is about managing the way that pests are spread from one place to another. Our Pest Plan uses this for managing some marine pests, with rules about the need for boat hulls to be clean before moving to a different place.

Site-led programmes have rules for specific pests that only apply in that area, to protect the values of that place – for example, excluding or eradicating a specific pest (or a number of pests) from that area.

He aha te take e arotakengia ana Te Mahere ināianei?

The Pest Plan should be regularly reviewed to ensure it includes the most suitable pest species with the best management programmes.

While the current Pest Plan still has effect until 2027, the pest management landscape is ever changing. We need to make sure there is enough time to consider all the information for each pest species, and to genuinely consult on any potential changes with Te Taitokerau communities.

The review of the Pest Plan will also help align Te Taitokerau with our neighbouring councils, in particular Tamaki Makaurau Auckland. Strengthening this alignment and creating more consistent rules will allow us to stop the spread of pest species between our regions.

He aha ngā panonitanga e hiahiatia ana?

There are a few things we already know need to be updated, like adding new species which have arrived since the current Pest Plan came into effect in 2017.

We also know there’s room to improve how tāngata whenua and communities are involved in pest management.

We’re keen to hear from you about the types of pests and weeds that have been affecting you and your way of life, and your thoughts on some of the changes we’re considering.

Tangata whenua aspirations and cultural impacts

We understand the term ‘pest’ may be interpreted in different ways and represent different impacts on tangata whenua values.

We want to better reflect tangata whenua aspirations and cultural impacts in the new Pest Plan, and we are keen to hear your whakaaro on what that might look like.

Candidate species

The candidate species is important for developing the plan because it identifies which organisms are considered pests and need management.

This helps the council to set specific goals, assess impacts, allocate resources, engage stakeholders, and ensure regulatory compliance. It provides a focused approach to effective pest management.

View the full list of pest species  (PDF 686 KB)

Pest pet species

We're investigating changes to the rules for turtles (red-eared slider turtle and the snake-neck turtle), lizards (bearded dragon and Eastern water dragon) and parrots (galah, Indian ring-necked parakeet, rainbow lorikeet, and sulphur-crested cockatoo).

These species are generally not established in the wild in Te Taitokerau but if they were to escape or be released, the impact they would have in the environment could be huge. We are considering whether banning these species from sale or breeding would help reduce that risk.

Pest game species

We’re investigating options for better management of tench (a freshwater fish) and the Canada goose – species originally introduced for hunting and fishing but have outgrown their original spaces and will potentially impact on our environment and ecosystems.

Exotic palms

Bangalow palm and Chinese fan palm have been banned from sale in our neighbouring region, Tamaki Makaurau Auckland. We're considering doing the same here, as they outcompete nikau palms and other native species when invading forest areas.

New arrivals

We’re assessing the effects of the following species, and looking at whether they should be included in the new Pest Plan:

• Fall armyworm – the larvae of an invasive moth, which first arrived in Aotearoa in 2022, have been found in Te Taitokerau and are known to feed on plant species from 76 different families.
• Australian winged weta (aka king cricket) – this species was found in Te Taitokerau in 2021. Its environmental impacts in Aotearoa are not yet fully understood.
• Exotic caulerpa – this highly invasive seaweed was first discovered in Te Taitokerau in 2023 (in Te Rawhiti inlet) and poses a significant ecological threat.
• Red sea plume – this seaweed is relatively new to our mainland so impacts aren’t yet clear, but it is known to be invasive in warmer waters.
• Freshwater gold clam – this highly invasive pest was discovered in the Waikato River in 2023, and could devastate our lakes and rivers if it were spread to Te Taitokerau as they breed rapidly and form dense populations that outcompete native species and can clog up electrical generation or irrigation infrastructure. Using a pathway management approach could help prevent new threats like gold glam entering our freshwater lakes.
• Myrtle rust – a serious fungal disease that affects trees and shrubs in the myrtle family. Since its initial discovery in 2017, the fungus has spread throughout Aotearoa.

He aha tōna hononga ki ērā atu kaupapa whakamaru koiora?

The statutory stuff in the Pest Plan is just one part of the picture when it comes to tackling pests in Te Taitokerau.

There’s a huge amount of broader mahi happening across the wider biosecurity landscape which is being done by government and non-government agencies, iwi/hapū, community groups and individuals – tackling pests is a real team effort.

The new Pest Plan will help to support this existing work by ensuring that the right strategies and management programmes are in place. This will enable our council to effectively use the advisory, service delivery, regulatory, and funding provisions available under the Biosecurity Act to deliver the specific objectives for each pest.

A new biosecurity strategy

To align our statutory obligations in the Pest Plan with the broader biosecurity actions being delivered in Te Taitokerau, we’re also considering developing a biosecurity strategy. This would be a non-statutory document that would complement the Pest Plan.

Tukuna mai ōu whakaaro

• What’s worrying you the most about the impacts of pests on our region?
• What types of pests are affecting you and your way of life?
• When it comes to pest management in Te Taitokerau, what’s working well, and what needs to change?
• What do you think about the potential changes?

Download this Pest Plan discussion information (PDF 4.47 MB)

You can share your whakaaro (thoughts) in whatever way works best for you:

• In the online form below
• Email: [email protected]
• By phone: 0800 002 004

If you’d prefer to share your whakaaro in person, contact us by phone or email and we’ll try to make it happen.

Have your say here

Te Rārangi Wā

There’ll be more information made available here as the review of our Pest Plan progresses – this will eventually include a full list of the pest species and management approaches we’re considering for the new Pest Plan.

If you want to be notified when new information is added, subscribe to 'Have your say' for email alerts as the review progresses. This includes all feedback opportunities, not just the Pest Plan (you can unsubscribe at any time):