On Friday 11 December 2020 West Australian Port Authorities and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development were recognised for the collaborative implementation of the State-Wide Array Surveillance Program (SWASP) by the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Western Australia.
Fisheries and West Australian Ports were recognised in the Best Practice in Collaboration Across Government Agencies category for the SWASP. The IPAA WA Achievement Awards recognise individual and organisational excellence in the public service.
The SWASP has enabled early and accurate detection of marine pests in West Australian port waters for over 10 years and is the only collaborative marine pest surveillance network of its kind.
With the rise of international trade across Australia, transportation hubs such as ports, are at higher risk of infestation due to introduced marine pests.
To enable effective detection of introduced marine pests in ports, a collaborative approach was required, and this formed the basis of the SWASP.
“Fisheries and the Port Authority staff involved in the SWASP are to be congratulated for their ongoing commitment to the program and protecting the marine environment,” stated Craig Faulkner Kimberley Ports Authority CEO.
