Known as K5, the virus is a Korean derivative of the RHD strain that has been here since 1997 but has been losing effectiveness because of growing immunity.
The authority’s Hazardous Substances and New Organisms manager, Dr Fiona Thomson-Carter, said the new RHD variant did not require regulation under the HSNO Act.
“Under the terms of the Act, the K5 variant is exempt from regulation because it is not considered a new organism, nor is it considered a hazardous substance.
“Additionally, the product does not meet any of the physical, toxicological or eco-toxicological (poisonous to the environment) classes specified in the relevant regulations.
“After full consideration of the application it was evident that the EPA has no role to play in its regulation,” she said.
However the applicants needed approval under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act and the Biosecurity Act, which were managed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
The applicant, the NZ Rabbit Co-ordination was a collaboration of regional councils, district councils, the Department of Conservation, Land Information New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Landcare Research, and Federated Farmers.
The current strain was losing its effectiveness as rabbits younger than three months that were exposed to it developed immunity.
The Otago Regional Council’s director of environmental monitoring and operations Scott MacLean said recently that immunity was averaging about 73% across the province.
The new K5 strain should increase the kill rate by about 40% but MacLean said as with any biological control, it was not a silver bullet and farmers still needed primary pest control.
The council has allocated funding for a release this autumn through two pre-feeds of carrot followed by carrot treated with the virus with landowners distributing the bait simultaneously.
