ERMA New Zealand may inquire into any incident involving a new organism. However, all incidents involving genetically modified organisms are investigated.
The purpose of an inquiry is to identify issues with ERMA New Zealand's systems or processes, and is not an investigation to assign blame.
2006 - 2007
There was one new organism inquiry completed during the year:
| Inquiry code | INQ06001 |
|---|---|
| Brief description | An investigation to identify any factors contributing to incidents involving animal escapes at facilities registered to the MAF Biosecurity Standard 154.03.04 Containment Facilities for Zoo Animals. |
| Approval reference | N/A |
| Incident date | August 2006 |
| Inquiry status | Inquiry report completed in February 2007 |
| Results and other follow-up action | A number of factors identified as contributing to animal escapes – animal management issues, maintenance of enclosures and staff familiarity with procedures – will be a focus in the revision of the zoo standard, planned for this year. |
2005 - 2006
There were two new organism inquiries completed during the year:
| Inquiry code | INQ04007 |
|---|---|
| Brief description | A commercial facility in Auckland was found growing an edible mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii), which is a new organism. |
| Approval reference | N/A |
| Incident date | May 2005 |
| Inquiry status | Inquiry report completed in September 2005 |
| Results and other follow-up action | Inquiry findings to promote greater understanding of regulatory requirements impacting on commercial activity have been integrated into the new organism Public Awareness strategy. |
| Inquiry code | INQ05001 |
|---|---|
| Brief description | The Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health imported a human cell line which they subsequently discovered to be genetically modified. The unapproved importation was inadvertent. |
| Approval reference | N/A |
| Incident date | February 2004 |
| Inquiry status | Inquiry report completed in August 2006 |
| Results and other follow-up action | MAF amended the import permit process. They now require more information from importers which reduces the likelihood of similar incidents. |
2004 - 2005
There was one new organism inquiry completed during the year:
| Inquiry code | INQ04006 |
|---|---|
| Brief description | Non compliance with controls of an approval for genetically modified Arabidopsis plants (Arabidopsis thaliana), in a plant containment facility. |
| Approval reference | GMD00300 |
| Incident date | March 2005 |
| Inquiry status | Inquiry report completed in May 2005 |
| Results and other followup action | The inquiry recommendations included the need to inform facility operators of the relevant controls associated with new organisms transferred between facilities. MAF introduced a new transfer process requiring the receiving facility operator to sign the transfer form, effective August 2005. The operator must verify that the facility is suitable to receive the new organism and that it will comply with any HSNO Act approval controls associated with the new organism. A copy of any controls relating to the transferred new organism must also accompany the transfer request.The inquiry also identified the need to review the frequency of plant containment facility inspections, which is a task included in the scope of a review project with MAF for 2005/06. |