Guidance for cruise lines to provide biosecurity information to passengers arriving in NZ

Email info@mpi.govt.nz

In the subject line of your email, write "Biosecurity Passenger Information".

We will send you:

• an audiovisual recording for passengers. This is available in English with subtitles in multiple languages
• an audio recording for passenger announcements
• a script to be read by crew for passenger announcements.

If the material is updated, MPI will notify you. Make sure you give us an email that will be active long term.

Email info@mpi.govt.nz

In the subject line of the email, type "Biosecurity Passenger Information – making our own material".

An MPI staff member will contact you to help guide you through the process. It is best to contact MPI early in the development process to ensure that your material will meet the requirements.

Use the following information as a guide.

Your material must contain 6 elements

1. Categories of items that are a biosecurity risk.
2. How these items can damage New Zealand's environment and industries.
3. How to dispose of items safely.
4. How to make a biosecurity declaration.
5. Penalties for failing to declare or dispose of a biosecurity risk item.
6. Any additional information that MPI considers necessary.

The MPI staff member will be able to guide you on how to present these elements to passengers in a way that will be approved by MPI.

More information follows about the 6 elements and what your material must contain.

1. Categories of items that are a biosecurity risk

• Any food (fresh, cooked, uncooked, preserved, packaged or dried).
• Animals or animal products, including meat, dairy products, fish, honey, bee products, eggs, feathers, shells, raw wool, skins, bones, or insects.
• Plants or plant products, including fruit, flowers, seeds, bulbs, wood, bark, leaves, nuts, vegetables, parts of plants, fungi, cane, bamboo or straw, including for religious offerings or medicinal use.
• Equipment/clothing used with animals, plants, or water, including gardening, beekeeping, fishing, water sport or diving activities.
• Items that have been used for outdoor activities, including any footwear, tents, camping, hiking, hunting, golf or sports equipment.
• Animal medicines, biological products, organisms, soil, or water.

2. How these items can damage New Zealand's environment and industries

New pests and diseases can damage New Zealand’s natural environment, our economy, and our way of life.

3. How a person can dispose of the items safely

These items can be disposed of in the marked amnesty bins.

4. How a person can make a biosecurity declaration

A biosecurity declaration can be made using the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) – both the digital version and the paper version will be accepted.

5. The penalties for failing to declare or dispose of a biosecurity risk item

You may receive a $400 fine if you fail to declare or dispose of a biosecurity risk item.

6. Any additional information that MPI considers necessary

This would be any information that the Director-General of MPI considers necessary for the management of biosecurity risk and requires an operator to provide.

At this time, there is no additional information required to be provided to passengers.

How we will approve your material

The material will be approved or declined within 30 working days of MPI receiving it.

If the material is approved, MPI will specify how long it is approved for.

If the material is not approved, MPI will advise why it was declined and what needs to be provided for it to be approved.