Below are two extracts written by keynote speaker Prof. Joe Caffrey from the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia’s (ISCBC) public forum and AGM program. He also gave several radio interviews

Partnering for Solutions with Industry

Biosecurity as it relates to invasive alien species (IAS) refers to those measures that aim to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful non-native species outside their natural range and to mitigate their impacts. The Convention on Biological Diversity, the EU Regulation on IAS and many other legislative drivers for IAS place the greatest emphasis on prevention of introduction and spread, as this is far more cost-effective and less environmentally damaging than long-term control. The most effective and least expensive measure to reduce new introductions and to slow or stop the spread of IAS is via the promotion and implementation of good biosecurity practice. To be effective, awareness of the issues around IAS must be created at all levels, from government and industry to individuals, and all must be encouraged to buy-in to the proposed solutions and to implement best biosecurity practice. Ireland is among the lead countries in Europe with respect to the development of biosecurity initiatives for industry and stakeholders. These initiatives include the creation of awareness regarding the threat posed by IAS and methods to prevent their introduction and spread, through: targeted (and accredited) training programs, the development of agreed biosecurity protocols for key stakeholder groups, the provision of tried-and-tested biosecurity processes and procedures for use at construction sites, the development of innovative biosecurity products to make the task of cleaning and disinfection more easy, among others. The need for a wide-scale roll-out of biosecurity is being acknowledged at government level and provision for this is being written into national documents, such as the Water Framework Directive (2017-2021) and the National Biodiversity Action Plan. The ultimate goal is that biosecurity will become instinctive and an integral part of one’s recreation or work.