Biosecurity surveillance of e-commerce and other online platforms for illegal trade in plants

Summary

Within Australia, 1783 alien plants have established populations and 350 of these became naturalised between 1980 and 2010. Future invasions are anticipated through emerging illegal trade (facilitated by e-commerce marketplaces) in invasive plant species.

The trading of high-risk invasive species and declared pests via e-commerce platforms is recognised as a significant pathway for the introduction of organisms into new areas, which, in-turn can create major biosecurity risks to human health, food security, agricultural health, and biodiversity loss throughout the world.

A range of innovative solutions are required to effectively manage the biosecurity risks of the e-commerce marketplace in invasive species and this project will develop software and analytical approaches to address this priority, and greatly support the data-collection, surveillance activities, and compliance, as well as the reputation of biosecurity agencies charged with preventing new alien plant incursions.

This project will share the methodological and ultimately end-user platforms pursued by a sister CISS supported project: Understanding and intervening in illegal trade in non-native species.

The long-term benefits of this project will ensure that effective interventions are in place nationally for monitoring key international and domestic online sources of illegal plants and e-commerce trade pathways.

Status

In progress