NORTH Asian nations Japan and Korea have been added to the list of “emerging risk” countries for the dreaded brown marmorated stink bug.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has just released a notice with measures for the 2025-26 BMSB season.
Key points were:
According to DAFF, the United Kingdom, China, Japan and South Korea were now identified as emerging risk countries, with random inspections applying to goods shipped from these nations between 1 September 2025 and 30 April 2026.
East Asia has always been home to stink bugs however their prevalence is understood to have increased with a changing climate.
A total of 40 nations have been targeted as ‘high risk’ including the United States, Germany and France.
Heightened vessel surveillance also applies to ro-ro vessels that have berthed, loaded or transhipped from target risk countries between 1 September and 30 June.
“These vessels will be subject to a mandatory seasonal pest (SP) inspection on arrival in Australian territory,” DAFF stated.
“This is only applicable to the ro-ro vessels themselves and does not apply to goods on the vessel.”
BMSB is native to east Asia and is found in China, Japan and South Korea.
It spread rapidly across North America and Europe after being accidentally introduced.
According to DAFF, while Australia’s isolation offers some protection, “our environment is suitable for certain exotic pests and diseases to establish and thrive”.
“If it established in Australia, this pest would be extremely difficult and expensive to manage,” DAFF stated.
“It is not easily controlled with pesticides, and it feeds on a large range of plants.”