Biosecurity on boats
For all boat owners, boat users and skippers: learn how to sail without stowaways!
Found a stowaway? Do not land on a seabird island, return to the mainland to find and catch the stowaway.
Unintentional passengers like rats can damage your vessel and pose a significant threat to native island species like seabirds. These resources will help you to keep your boat 'stowaway-free’!
There are lots of easy things that you can do to avoid carrying stowaways including using rodent-proof containers and providing passengers with biosecurity information upon booking and boarding. To check that you don’t have any unintentional passengers on-board there are simple surveillance tools that you can use.
Found signs of stowaways onboard your boat? Here are the steps to take a useful document that guides you through the process, including how to catch the stowaway.
Kayakers: get in touch for 'paddle without passenger' Kayak stickers
Use this handy guide to learn how to identify rodents and their signs. Entrance holes, droppings, nest material and gnaw marks can all help alert you to a rodent on your boat.
Do not land on a seabird island. Never push stowaways overboard dead or alive! Do not assume only one individual stowaway is aboard. Return to the mainland.
Different species have different swimming strengths and this is important information - never throw a stowaway overboard from a boat.
Footprints can help confirm the presence of a rodent or other invasive mammal. Use the training materials here to help you identify the species.
Different species have different swimming strengths and this is important information in determining the risk from potential sources based on their proximity to the island.
Do not land on a seabird island. Never push stowaways overboard dead or alive! Do not assume only one individual stowaway is aboard. Return to the mainland.
We have a number of consultants available to discuss your project with you. Find out more about how Biosecurity for LIFE’s network can assist you.
Sourcing funding for your project is an important first step for your biosecurity work. Here we signpost to possible funders.