Biofouling Inspectors assist with invasive marine species (IMS) inspections of vessels, the creation of biofouling management plans, and providing other marine biosecurity advice to vessel managers and stakeholders.
Biofouling Inspectors are highly specialised professionals. To provide guidance and standards on what is expected of inspectors, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has developed three documents (below): DPIRD considers these to be the best practice approach for all IMS inspections. The use of a suitably qualified person provides DPIRD with a level of confidence that a vessel’s risk has been appropriately managed to a low/acceptable level. This can minimise potential delays to vessel mobilisations.
Guidance statement - Criteria for Suitably Qualified Biofouling Inspectors:
This document outlines the criteria DPIRD use to approve a suitably qualified Biofouling inspector as required by relevant ministerial conditions under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The following is a list of individuals/organisations considered to be suitably qualified to undertake vessel biofouling inspections:
Guidance Statement - Best practice guidelines for IMS Inspections:
This document provides guidance on the best practice requirements for conducting an IMS inspection. This includes conducting pre-inspection likelihood analyses of where IMS may be found on vessels, inspecting internal seawater systems and other niches, and being able to identify suspected IMS and collect samples appropriately.