Another Japanese ship has been ordered from New Zealand waters after the discovery of brown marmorated stink bug on board.
The Ministry for Primary Industries banished the Glovis Caravel on Tuesday evening, after the crew reported nearly 600 of the insects - 12 of them still alive - while anchored near Auckland.
The bugs could have a devastating effect on local agriculture if they ever became established in New Zealand.
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"Not only does it eat everything, just about everything, it will come into everyone's home during winter, and eat your flowers and veggies," Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman told RadioLIVE this week.
"And for horticulture, it's going to devastate so many of our crops."
MPI has raised its security efforts, turning away several vessels carrying car imports in recent weeks.
"Even though the [Glovis Caravel] was sealed, we assessed the risk was too high for it to remain in New Zealand waters," says MPI border clearance services director Steve Gilbert.
"It will now have to be treated off shore before it can return.
"Some of the carriers arriving in New Zealand require no further action, but where there is contamination, we have the option of denying entry.
"We firmly believe our actions to date have prevented stick bugs from getting past the New Zealand border and welcome the support we have been getting from a range of industries."
Newshub.
