East Coast TB Management Area (TMA)

Eradicating bovine TB in NZ

As part of our TBfree programme we deliver our pest control operations through a framework of TB management areas (TMAs). TMAs are areas with known TB infection in livestock or wildlife. Each TMA has a specific TB control plan designed to eradicate TB as effectively as possible.

The East Coast TMA

The East Coast TMA comprises large coastal and inland parts of Hawke's Bay, making it one of the largest TMAs in the region. It stretches from Tutira down the coast to the Napier-Taupo Road, and includes Glengarry and Waikaou.

It has both forestry — including the Esk Forest — and intensively managed pasture land. Farms in the East Coast TMA are mainly sheep, beef and deer farms, with a very small number of dairy farms.

History of TB and pest control in East Coast

The East Coast TMA has a long history of TB infection in cattle herds and wildlife. We found infected herds in the 1980s, 1990s, and early to mid-2000s.

Since 2007, we have completed over 1.2 million hectares of wildlife surveillance and over 918,000 hectares of possum control in this TMA. However, we need to do further control work due to a resurgence of TB-infected cattle and deer herds in Hawke’s Bay since 2019. This will:

• minimise the risk of the disease spreading through wild animal populations into farmed cattle and deer
• ensure further good progress towards eradicating TB.

We completed ground control in:

• Coach Road South, Esk, Glengarry North, Matahorua East, Tikokino, Tutira, Waikoau, and Waipatiki in 2019/2020, and 2020/2021
• Coach Rd South, Glengarry North, Matahorua East, Tutira, Waikoau, and Waipatiki in 2021/2022
• Coach Road South, Esk, Glengarry North, Glengarry South, Rissington Central and Rissington South in 2022/2023
• Coach Road South, Matahorua East, Tutira, Waikoau, and Waipatiki in 2023/2024.

We completed aerial control in Waikoau and Glengarry North in 2021/2022.

Current state

As of June 2024, there are no infected herds in the East Coast TMA.

Future pest control operations

We plan our pest control operations up to 3 years in advance. The current year runs from July 2024 to June 2025.

Dates and control methods for pest control operations in East Coast are provisional and subject to change. If you’re affected by any upcoming operations, our pest control contractors will contact you before work begins. They will:

• talk you through the specifics of each operation
• explain what you need to do before the operations start
• get your consent for the work to be done.

Map of 2024/2025 pest control operations

The proposed areas for ground control are marked on the map in green.

Interactive map showing East Coast TB management area boundaries, Vector Control Zone, and proposed control areas

Contacts

Better Nature manages eradication activities in the East Coast TMA. Contact them directly if you have feedback or questions about upcoming operations.

Better Nature

Phone: 06 836 5590

Email: admin@betternature.nz

Nearest local OSPRI office

OSPRI Palmerston North office

PO Box 9078

Terrace End

Palmerston North 4441

Phone: 06 353 2710

Email: vector.sni@ospri.co.nz