Biosecurity skills gaps highlighted in New Zealand

Holes in biosecurity expertise may leave the country exposed to pest incursions, seminar hears

New Zealand is underprepared to respond to biosecurity threats because of significant gaps in its research capacity, a national seminar has heard.

Bill Dyck, the co-author of a 2021 report on New Zealand’s biosecurity capabilities, told the seminar on 13 April that although the country had strong points across the research system, there were also “serious gaps that could expose New Zealand” to biosecurity incursions by plant or animal pests.