1. Sharing best practice for biosecurity
Martin Fenn
Senior Environmental Monitoring Officer
5th February 2019
Mainly looking at how we share biosecurity best practice throughout the EA with some of our biosecurity best practices included for good measure

2. What the Environment Agency does We protect and improve the environment
We help people and wildlife adapt to climate change and reduce its impacts.
We improve the quality of our water, land and air by tackling pollution.
We work as part of the Defra group to create a better place for people and wildlife.
Important to highlight the range of activities we undertake e.g. monitoring, ops delivery work, etc….
Executive Board want us to be an exemplar organisation when it comes to biosecurity

3. Biosecurity isn’t an optional extra It’s fundamental to how we do our job professionally

4. Our approach Inform staff of the risks and potential consequences;
encourage them to innovate, suggesting ways they can adapt the way they work to reduce the risk of spread;
enthuse staff to share and adopt their ideas.

5. How we do this Nationally Locally ISAG ISBN Newsletters Yammer
Biosecurity Working Groups
Area Biosecurity Action Plans
Area Biosecurity Risk Assessments

6. National Invasive Species Action Group (ISAG) Comprises of: Sub groups
National Staff
Area staff
Sub groups
Knowledge and Innovation
Communications
Invasive Species Management
Biosecurity
Task and Finish Group set up to look at biosecurity kit
ISAG’s purpose is to provide governance over our programme, to lead the management of invasive species within the Environment Agency and to promote our work to manage invasive species within our organisation and other external organisations.
The group meets every four months and as appropriate to discuss progress against our programme of work and to identify any additional actions required to deliver the programme.
The group’s membership includes a broad range of experience and expertise and members from across the organisation

7. Spread the word not the problem
National
Invasive Species and Biosecurity Network (ISBN)
Area champions
Spread the
word not
the problem
Act as ‘Area champions’ for biosecurity and promoting the INNS communications campaign;
Work with the hub ISAG Invasive Species Action Group representatives and other ISBN (Invasive Species and Biosecurity Network contacts within the region to coordinate communication;
Seek opportunities to promote the campaign within offices, depots and at events;
Work with individual teams to act as a ‘critical friend’ to review biosecurity practices and discuss the campaign within team meetings.
Bi-monthly telecons

8. National
Newsletters
Newsletters are produced quarterly with an Invasive Species Week special edition

9. National
Yammer

10. Local Biosecurity Working Groups
14 groups around the country in each EA area
Members from different teams within the area

12. Biosecurity Action Plan
Every area produces one

13. Biosecurity Risk Assessment

14. Asset requirement list

15. Extras PhD student, University of Leeds E-learning
Steam pressure washers
Disinfectant experiment
Hazard perception
E-learning
Steam pressure washer trials impact on killer shrimp, zebra mussels, floating pennywort and Crassula (machine temp set at 90c). Still writing up results but some mortality, although Crassula needed extended period of treatment. Also testing different pressure washers around country to check heat loss
Disinfectant experiment effect of soaking and spraying on killer shrimp, zebra mussels, quagga mussels and floating pennywort using Virkon S, Virkon Aquatic and Virasure Aquatic. Still writing up results
Hazard perception surveying undergraduates and masters students to assess biosecurity awareness and knowledge retention
Better biosecurity e-learning

16. Extras
Invasive Species Week
13th to 17th May 2019

17. Extras
Guidance

18. The Future?
Work in progress
Governments 25 year plan
Research

19. Questions?