Qld fruit fly forces lockdown of NZ suburb

An Auckland suburb is being put under a biosecurity lockdown following the discovery of a Queensland fruit fly.

The New Zealand government says it has begun notifying its trading partners of the potential threat to its $3.5 billion fruit and vegetable export industry.

The single male fruit fly was caught in a routine surveillance trap this week in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill.

Primary industries staff have declared the area a controlled zone and will ban any produce or vegetable material being removed.

Primary industries minister David Carter says the government is notifying relevant trading partners.

"The response is firstly to minimise any adverse trade reaction and that is why the ministry for primary industries is starting now to notify our relevant trading partners," he said.

"We need to quickly find out whether this trapping [involves] a single insect or whether a breeding population has been established, in which case an eradication response will be commenced immediately."

Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Peter Silcock says the industry, which is in the middle of its export season, is waiting with "bated breath" for further developments.

"There's only one fly, it's a male, and we're hoping that's all there is," he said.

"It's not an incursion. An incursion would be if the fly was established, and it is far from that."

There has been no detection of any species of fruit fly in New Zealand since the discovery of a Mediterranean fruit fly back in 1996.

Primary industries says the most likely way the insect could have entered the country is through fresh fruit.

There is a ban on sea and air passengers bringing fresh fruit and vegetables into New Zealand.

Source: ABC News, 10 May 2012