Council undertook a partial review of the RPMP in 2024 to consider emerging pest species and implementation issues. This review proposed amendments to the existing RPMP. These proposed amendments were open for submission between 20 August 2024 and 24th September 2024.

At its meeting on 27 March 2025, Council made its decisions on submissions to the proposed amendments to the RPMP. These decisions were notified on 13 May 2025.

A copy of the Councils decisions report, the redline strikeout proposed amendments, and the Regional Pest Management Plan 2025 Decisions Version are available in the Document Library on the right.

He aha te Mahere Whakahaere Kīrearea ā-rohe?

The Biosecurity Act 1993 requires regional councils to ‘provide regional leadership in pest management’. The RPMP is the key regional policy document to direct the management of pests in the Bay of Plenty region. The current plan has been in place since December 2020 and has effect for 10 years.

Why are we proposing some changes?

He aha mātou e mahi nei i tēnei?

The pest management landscape is ever changing. The pests included in the current RPMP and the ways to manage them sometimes need to be reconsidered to reflect emerging pest issues.

Who is affected by these proposed changes?

Ko wai e pāngia ana e ēnei panonitanga kua tonoa?

Most people will be unaffected by these proposed changes. There are implications for some specific groups in our regional community. Owners of pet wallabies and turtles, marine and freshwater recreationalists and occupiers of land who have (or plan to have) specified conifer species may be impacted by the changes.

What’s changing?

He aha e panoni ana?

Amendments to the RPMP proposed through this partial plan review include:

• Wallabies: All wallaby species known to be in New Zealand to be included in the RPMP. Currently our plan only includes one species, the dama wallaby.
• Pest conifers: Certain conifer species to be treated as pests in any form (planted, plantation and wilding). Previously the requirement to remove conifers was limited to wilding conifers only.
• New exclusion pests: Exotic Caulerpa and all species of Corbicula are included as exclusion pests in the RPMP. At this time neither pests are present in the region.
• Marine pest rules: A new rule to manage spread of marine pests by requiring all craft moving to or within our waters have clean hulls and high risk areas (including anchor, chain, anchor wells and live bait tanks) and boating equipment is free of pests and sediment.
• Freshwater pest rules: An amended rule to better manage spread of freshwater pests by requiring vessels entering water bodies to be checked cleaned and dried and that all recreational equipment is free of pests.
• Turtles: Introduced turtles are included as sustained control pests and will be subject to conditions that prevent turtles from establishing in the wild.