About Us

Aquatic Biosecurity Pty Ltd

Aquatic Biosecurity was started in November 2014 as a unique aquatic focused business.  Aquatic Biosecurity provides its clients with a streamlined service delivery because we have the broadest range of aquatic skills, qualifications and experience in Australia within the one organization.

  1. Biofouling inspections
  2. Sediment Coring in aquatic ecosystems
  3. Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle and drone inspections
  4. Developing business's COVID-19 risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures for routine tasks
  5. Marine Surveying (Engineering, vessel safety and insurance)
  6. Marine Science
  7. Freshwater Science
  8. Aquaculture
  9. Fisheries Science
  10. Aquatic Animal Health and Biosecurity Auditing
  11. Commercial Scuba Diving
  12. Industry Representation, Consultation and Advocacy
  13. Education
  14. Water Quality
  15. Fish and Plankton Identification
  16. Ballast Water inspections, and
  17. In-Water Cleaning

About the Aquatic Biosecurity Logo

The logo can be interpreted as a Japanese seastar or a propeller.  It identifies the business with the commonality between the effects on aquatic environments through anthropologic forces such as shipping and vessels.  An example of this is the introduced Japanese seastar Asterias amurensis which has caused considerable damage to marine environments in Australia and was introduced through commercial shipping ballast water or biofouling. With this in mind, the core values of Aquatic Biosecurity are that aquatic industries should be supported and encouraged to have minimal impact on the environment whilst still being profitable and safe.  We can help businesses achieve any ethical aquatic outcome. 

About the Managing Director

Dr Michael Sierp is a technical expert with leadership experience that has helped to positively shape Australia's aquatic landscape. His qualifications and experience cover a multitude of criteria including aquatic science, vessel engineering, and seafaring. As the Chair of the Australian Government's Marine Pest Sectorial Committee (MPSC), a member of the National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) and Chair of 11 National Government subcommittees he completed many projects to drive reform of the national agenda for Biofouling and Ballast Water from aquatic industries via the National System for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pest Incursions (www.marinepests.gov.au). He was awarded the Innovation within Biosecurity SA award in 2012 for his work leading the development of the Australian Testing Centre for Marine Pests (ATCMP), the world's first National qPCR-DNA marine pest identification clearance facility at SARDI Aquatic Sciences. In 2010 he was awarded the Service to the Community Award form PIRSA Biosecurity for successfully managing the clearance of over 200km of feral pacific oysters across South Australia's coastline. In 2014 he was jointly awarded the National Best Project Award from the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation for his work as a consultant to RecFishSA to open up South Australia's reservoirs to the public and write the successful permit applications to stock native fish in the Warren, Beetaloo, Bundaleer and Baroota reservoirs in SA.  He was previously the elected National Secretary and SA State Member on the council for the Australasian Institute of Marine Surveyors (AIMS) and is currently the SA Senior Manager of OzFish aquatic habitat rehabilitation network. Dr Sierp is a scientist, Australian Marine Safety Authority (AMSA) Marine Surveyor, AIMS Accredited Marine Surveyor, and Australian Divers Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) Commercial Diver,  Click here to see Dr Michael Sierp's Linked in page

Small to large and difficult projects achieved with a maximum of confidence and contingency

Key Projects Lead for 2015-2021

  1. Vessel Mounted Vibrating Sediment Coring over 35 sites for the Department For Environment and Water at Iron Monarch Mine (Iron Knob)
  2. Concept design for Torrens River Swimming Pool for Business SA
  3. Seeds For Snapper - SA seagrass community based rehabilitation project for Gulf St Vincent for OzFish
  4. Installation of benthic reef system using limestone blocks in the Warren reservoir South Australia with SA Water and OzFish
  5. Remote Ocean Beach (Coorong) beach debris and plastic cleanups 2019/2020/2021 for OzFish
  6. Benthic habitat and bathymetry survey using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in the West Lakes System in South Australia (in Draft)
  7. Community based bathymetry survey of Warren Reservoir - SA
  8. Pesticide detectives coordination of Barossa OzFish chapter 
  9. Vessel Mounted Vibrating Sediment Coring over 6 sites for the Department For Environment and Water at Section Bank from RV ORCA
  10. Vessel Mounted Vibrating Sediment Coring over 125 sites for the Environment Protection Authority EPA-SA across metropolitan Gulf St Vincent from RV ORCA
  11. Vessel Mounted Vibrating Sediment Coring over 42 sites at Port Stanvac for Department For Environment Water across metropolitan Gulf St Vincent from RV ORCA
  12. Biosecurity Emergency Response operation on MV SeaBreeze (underwater hull clearance)
  13. International Biosecurity Clearance operations on MV Tian Gian and MV Da Chang (underwater hull clearance).
  14. Biosecurity Biofouling clearance for the Backhoe Dredge BA900 being imported into Brisbane from Montevideo, Uruguay. South America on behalf of Hall Contracting Pty Ltd.
  15. Biosecurity clearance of POMS affected Pacific Oysters in the Port River System SA
  16. Expert Witness in the International Court of Arbitration for Chevron vs Sapiem/Leighton Barrow Island Gorgon Gas International Quarantine failures.
  17. Biofouling clearance for the French Navy operated icebreaker en-route from BAE Henderson WA to Antarctica and Macquarie Island on behalf of Tasman Shipping Pty Ltd.
  18. Conducted two contracts for the removal of feral pacific oysters in the Port of Adelaide for the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia.
  19. Conducted 40 dives on 10 bulk carriers in the Port of Adelaide towards the International Vessels Biofouling Pilot Studies IVBPS project for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR).
  20. Re-Designed Fluerieu Milk Company's Waste Water Treatment plan to reach EPA licence for 21 million litres of milk production in Myponga SA
  21. Drafted the Maritime Industry Australia Limited (MIAL) submission to the federal government on the Biosecurity Act 2015.
  22. Arranged consultation for the Marine Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) between Government and Industry for MIAL.
  23. Drafted 3 successful applications to the State Government for RecFish SA to stock 24,000 native fish in SA Reservoirs.
  24. Successfully carried out fish health testing and a biosecurity audit on TAFE-SA's Urbrae Aquaculture Facility for Recfish SA.
  25. Managed the stocking of the Warren Reservoir's Silver Perch and a member of the stocking team for the Baroota Reservoir.
  26. Gained successful Australian Marine Safety Authority (AMSA) accreditation as an Accredited Marine Surveyor (Maritime engineering and vessel safety).
  27. Drafted South Australia's first successful Trout stocking applications for Bundaleer reservoir in SA.
  28. Conducted a range of periodic AMSA Domestic Commercial Vessel, Pre-purchase, Condition and Insurance Surveys in SA.

 Previous Consulting Projects

1. Fish Kill Contingency Plan for the Patawalonga System (report) and re-design on PCL computer system set up for water level management. Zero fish kills or floods since these changes were implemented

2. Fluerieu Milk Company design of wastewater treatment plant for EPA compliance

3. Transpacific Aquaculture Farm design for Flinders Bioremediation