With speed and adaptability on its side, eDNA has proven to be a valuable tool for monitoring biodiversity at large spatial scales. This makes it particularly appealing for the early detection of marine pests, as these programs are usually run by state or national organisations and cover extensive coastlines.
However, while laboratory capabilities advance, resource allocation for operations like sample collection quickly becomes a limitation. The Queensland Seaports eDNA Surveillance (Q-SEAS) program successfully exemplifies a collaborative partnership approach as a solution.
With an extensive coastline and a marine World Heritage site, Queensland has embraced molecular diagnostics as a tool for early detection of marine pests. The Q-SEAS program, a collaboration between Biosecurity Queensland and the state's five major port authorities, tackles the unique biosecurity challenges posed by each port's environment, including remoteness and complexity of the port environment. Securing funding or in-kind support requires demonstration of not only program feasibility, but also a commitment to maximizing and continually improving value for money.
This presentation will outline some of the modern methods that we are exploring to optimise the Q-SEAS program, enhancing efficiency and demonstrating value for money to increase marine pest detection capability within a collaborative eDNA surveillance framework.