An updated risk assessment was conducted for 54 New Zealand marine mammals using a multi-species spatially explicit risk assessment. Goodness-of-fit assessments indicated reasonable performance to predict total number of captures for pinniped and delphinid species with >5 captures, but poor performance to predict the spatial location of those captures. Poor performance may be due to inappropriate structural model assumptions or to biological inputs. Results should be interpreted with caution.

This project has updated and characterised protected shark and ray fishery captures in New Zealand waters to the 2021 fishing year. Some protected species (whale shark, oceanic whitetip shark, deepwater nurse shark, and manta ray) were infrequently recorded. White shark, basking shark, and spinetail devil rays were more regularly observed and reported and additional analyses were completed to assess trends and factors that may increase risk of capture.

New wildlife tracking devices have demonstrated promising results in seabird monitoring and fisheries management. Xargos and Xsputnik loggers were deployed on Antipodean albatrosses in 2019, making use of X band navigation radar detection and real time GPS technology to study seabird movement and foraging patterns at sea, allowing monitoring of in situ interactions with fishing vessels and analysis of which fisheries pose the highest risk of mortality amongst foraging seabirds.

The TA was carried out by the Ministry for Primary Industries to determine if LSDV is a risk in meat and meat products derived from cattle and buffaloes for human and animal consumption (except the importation of meat and bone meal for feeding to livestock).

The likelihood of entry of LSDV via meat and meat products derived from skeletal muscle devoid of lymph nodes (LNs) or other tissues (blood, offal, tendons and bone) is assessed to be negligible.
The likelihood of entry of LSDV via meat and meat products derived from skeletal muscle contaminated with parts of LNs and other tissues (blood, offal, tendons and bone), and via bone of infected cattle is assessed as very low.
The likelihood of entry of LSDV via meat and meat products derived from offal of infected cattle is assessed as medium.
Based on the available scientific literature on transmission of LSDV and the requirements of the New Zealand Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Regulations 1999, in the event of entry of contaminated skeletal muscle, offal or bone into New Zealand, the exposure of cattle and buffaloes to LSDV via these commodities that are intended for human and animal consumption is assessed as negligible.
Risk management measures are not justified for LSDV when cattle and buffalo meat and meat products intended for human and animal consumption are imported into New Zealand.

Keywords – Lumpy skin disease virus, lumpy skin disease, LSD, LSDV, meat, meat products, human consumption, animal consumption, pet food, cattle, buffalo

This report details an exploration of the decision context for land use change as an adaptation to climate change in the primary industries. This project focuses on the dynamic interactions between values, rules, and knowledge used by decision makers. The aim is to support adaptation planning in the primary industries, by contributing to the evidence base, and enhance capability and capacity for responding to the risks and opportunities due to climate change.

This report addresses using scenarios to identify climate risks for the primary sector, different modelling methods to quantitatively estimate risk impacts and the costs/benefits of adaptation options,.and reviews indicator frameworks used by the US, UK and EU. The report recommends that risk assessment should include a range of risk drivers, including physical and socio-economic and that an indicator programme is needed.

Keywords: Climate change, adaptation, risk assessment, risk identification, scenarios, primary sector, indicators

A new model-based approach to calculate New Zealand red rock lobster reference levels was developed, documented, and applied for five Quota Management Areas. Reference levels are based on intermediate-term projections of fixed catch and fishing mortality rates, designed to maximise catch while meeting the risk constraint of remaining above the soft limit and limiting catch variability over time.

This research evaluated using the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) methodology to assess climate change risk in forestry businesses. The key benefit of the TCFD approach is that it exposes business strategy, governance and operations to risk analysis and management and focuses on understanding any financial risks. This research is the first step on what the TCFD suggests is a five-year process. This analysis can start to define the climate change risk analysis.

Keywords: Forestry, climate change, risk assessment, business risk,

This literature review synthesizes the current state of knowledge of marine non-indigenous species treatments, to help address biosecurity risks evident in two focal areas of relevance to marine biosecurity management in New Zealand. These two areas are:
1. the proactive treatment of shellfish aquaculture stock to facilitate biosecure stock transfers; and,
2. the reactive treatment of non-indigenous marine species to enable eradication at the landscape-scale.
The review summarises ~280 published papers in the global literature, outlining a number of chemical, physical and biological treatment options that have been tested to varying degrees. Each identified treatment type was assessed for several attributes in the review, including application regimes, efficacy, safety, the ability to monitor during deployment, biosecurity risks, and the regulatory environment that may influence acceptance and use in New Zealand. A number of these treatments are believed to be effective at small scales. Scaling-up one, or a combination of these identified treatments is likely the most efficient development route. Co-development and collaboration with the aquaculture, marine construction and commercial diving industries is likely to be critical to developing safe, effective and efficient implementation-ready treatment protocols..

This Risk Profile considers Listeria monocytogenes in RTE salads. This is an update of a Risk Profile “Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat salads” published in 2005 (Lake et al., 2005).