Craft Risk Management Standard  
Issued under the Biosecurity Act 1993   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Aircraft from All Countries  
CRMS Aircraft  
11 December 2020  
 Craft Risk Management Standard : Aircraft from All Countries   
 Draft for Consultation  11 December 2020  
Ministry for Primary Industries  Page  1 of 9 
TITLE  
Craft Risk Management Standard : Aircraft from All Countries  
COMMENCEMEN T 
This Craft Risk Management Standard  comes into force on  [Effective Date]   
REVOCATION  
This Craft Risk Management Standard  revokes and replaces  
ISSUING AUTHORITY  
This Craft Risk Management Standard  is issued  by the Director General or authorised delegate under section 
24G of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act).  
 
Dated at Wellington, 11 December 2020  
 
 
Peter Thomson (Pete)  
Director, Animal and Plant Health  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
(acting under delegated authority of the Director -General)  
 
Contact for further information  
Invasive Species Team  
Biosecurity New Zealand  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
 
Email: standards@mpi.govt.nz   
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Ministry for Primary Industries  Page  2 of 9 
Contents  Page 
Introduction  3 
Part 1:  Requirements  6 
1.1 Application  6 
1.2 Incorporation of material by reference  6 
1.3 Definitions  6 
1.4 Required Information  6 
1.5 Risk Management  7 
Part 2:  Specific Req uirements  8 
2.1 Disinsection  8 
2.2 International Transit Aircraft  8 
2.3 Domestic Aircraft  8 
Schedule 1 – Definitions  9 
 
 
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Introduction  
This introduction  is not part of the  Craft Risk Management Standard , but is intended to indicate its general 
effect.  
Purpose  
This Craft Risk Management Standard (CRMS) specifies the requirements needed to manage the biosecurity 
risks associated with the arrival of airc raft in New Zealand.  
Nothing in this CRMS is to be read as reducing or relieving the operators or persons in charge of an aircraft of 
their responsibility to meet the requirements of other enactments or regulations including those relating to the 
safety of  the aircraft, crew and passengers . 
Background  
Aircraft arriving in New Zealand from  origins outside New Zealand have the potential to be vectors for exotic 
pests, pathogens  and unwanted organisms . 
The Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) prescribes requirements for the exclusion, eradication and effective 
management of pests and unwanted organisms in New Zealand. These organisms have the potential to 
cause harm to natural and physical resources and human health in New Zealand. The Ministry  for Primary 
Industries (MPI) is responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Biosecurity Act 1993.  
This Craft Risk Management Standard (CRMS)  is developed under the Act.  It specifies the biosecurity risk 
management and information requirements that mus t be met when aircraft  enter New Zealand territor y. Upon 
arrival, verification  will be carried out to ensure that these requirements have been met (verification may 
include inspections ). 
Who should read this  Craft Risk Management Standard ? 
Operators and persons in charge of aircraft  arriving in  New Zealand territory  should read this standard . 
Why is this important?  
In accordance with section 24J of the Act, the operator or person in charge of an aircraft must take all 
reasonable steps to comply wi th this standard. If the operator or person in charge of the aircraft does not 
comply with this standard, an inspector or authorised person may issue a compliance order requiring 
compliance . 
Section 154N(11) of the Act states that a person commits an offence who fails to comply with a compliance 
order. Every person who commits an offence against this section is liable on conviction, in the case of an 
individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, a fine not exceeding $50,000, or both ; and in 
the case of a corporation, to a fine not exceeding $100,000.  
The operator or person in charge of a ny aircraft  that has risk goods on board may receive a direct ion from an 
inspector  under sections 19, 32 or 33 of the Act to take steps to manage those risk goods on board the aircraft 
and, if these steps are not taken, the aircraft may be directed to leave New Zealand . 
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Document History  
Version Date  Section Changed  Change(s) Descr iption  
November 2020  The entire standard  
 
 
 
 Minor wording changes for clarity .  Layout changes  that 
have altered the order of requirements and their 
numbering . Changes to the definition to International 
Transit Aircraft and incorporation of the risk good 
requirements into the general requirements section.  
 
Equivalence  
An operator may submit a Craft Risk Management Plan for approval by the Director -General  under section 
24K of the Act proposing alternative ways of managing the risks which are equivalent to, but different from the 
requirements  in this standard . The Director -General will only approve a plan if satisfied that the requirements 
proposed in the plan allow risks to be managed to the same extent as or to a greater extent than they can be 
managed under this standard . 
Costs  
The costs to the New Zealand Government in performing its biosecurity risk management functions relating to 
the arrival of aircraft  in accordance with the requirements of this standard  will be recovered as specified  by the 
Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations  2010.  
Other requirements of the Act  
Arrival  
In accordance with section 17 of the Act, if possible and practicable to do so, an aircraft must arrive  in New 
Zealand at either : 
a) a Place of First Arrival  (PoFA ) that has been approved by the Director -General  as suitable for the 
aircraft  type and the purpose for which it is arriving ; or 
b) a place for which special approval has been granted by the Director -General  for a specified 
aircraft  to arrive, or for aircraft t o arrive for a specified purpose,  under section 37A of the Act.  
Risk goods  
In accordance with sections  18, 19 and 33 of the Act:  
a) no risk goods are  permitted to be removed from an aircraft without the per mission of an 
inspector ; and  
b) where risk goods  are present on an aircraft that arrived  from overseas , the person in charge of 
the aircraft  must follow every reasonable direction given by an inspector including to relocate the 
aircraft  or to manage the risk goods . 
Other standards  
While this standard applies to aircraft, the goods on board the aircraft may be subject to other Import Health 
Standards (IHSs) and the provisions of this Act.  This standard is intended to work in conjunction with any 
relevant IHSs and provisions of the A ct to manage goods  on board aircraft  not mentioned in the following 
requirements. The standard should not be seen to override these . 
  
Examples of goods managed by other sections of the Act or under another IHS:  
• Personal effects and baggage of crew and pas sengers  
• Freight and air containers  
• Garbage that has been segregated from any risk goods (for example , recycling) and is approved by an 
inspector to be free of biosecurity risk and biosecurity contamination.  Craft Risk Management Standard : Aircraft from All Countries   
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Ministry for Primary Industries  Page  5 of 9 
Other information  
Guidance for this Craft Risk  Management Standa rd is provided in the guidance boxes in this standard and in 
the Guidance Document to the CRMS for Aircraft from All Countries.   The guidance boxes are included for 
explanatory purposes. The guidance included in these boxes is for informa tion only and has no legal effect .  
Please seek  further  MPI assistance  if you are unclear on any part of the standard  prior to the aircraft arriving 
in New Zealand territory.  
This document is not intended to be a complete summary of the obligations of oper ators or persons in charge 
of aircraft  under the Biosecurity Act 1993.  Craft Risk Management Standard : Aircraft from All Countries   
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Part 1:  Requirements  
1.1 Application  
(1) This standard applies to - 
a) All aircraft that arrive  in New Zealand . 
b) All bi osecurity risks associated with an aircraft , including  any particular risks  identified in this 
standard.  
1.2 Incorporation of Material by Reference  
(1) The following documents are incorporated by reference:  
a) The Schedule of Aircraft Disinsection Procedures for Flights into Australia and New Zealand , the 
current version at time of referenc e. 
(2) Under section 142O(3) of the Act, it is declared that section 142O(1) does not apply. That is, a notice 
under section 142O(2) of the Act is not required to be published before material, that amends or 
replaces any material incorporated by reference, has  legal effect as par t of the documents in clause 
1.2.(1) above . 
1.3 Definitions  
(1) Definitions of terms used in this standard are set out in Schedule  1.  
(2) Terms used in this standard  that are defined in the Act have the meanings set out in the Act, unless a 
different meaning is given in Schedule 1 . 
1.4 Required Information  
(1) An oper ator, or person in charge, of an aircraft must ensure that the information below is sent to, and 
received by MPI, in the manner approved by the Director -General, within a reasonable time1 prior to 
the aircraft’s arrival to allow for verification  activities: 
a) Estimated time of arrival  (including any updates);  
b) The airport  where  aircraft will la nd (Place of First Arrival  – where approval covers the aircraft 
type, passenger numbers and cargo );  
c) Aircraft type and call sign ( Aircraft  Registration);  
d) Airport of origin and all transit stops (including last airport of call);  
e) Disinsection status;  
f) Schedu led time and date of departure (if relevant) ; 
g) Number of  airport s the aircraft intends to visit within New Zealand;  
h) Any diversion or alternative landing locations in unforeseen circumstances (as soon as 
practicable);   
i) If any risk goods are to remain on -board (only relevant for international transit aircraft); and  
j) If any live pests have been found/sighted on -board on-route to New Zealand . 
 
1 What constitutes a reasonable time depends on the conditions of MPI’s approval of the airport at which the aircraft 
intends to arrive . Please contact MPI at the relevant airport to confirm the time requirements for that PoFA. Craft Risk Management Standard : Aircraft from All Countries   
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(2) An oper ator, or person in charge, of an aircraft must notify MPI of any changes to the  information  
submitted to under clause1.4(1); particularly changes to scheduled times and dates of arrival and 
departure.  
1.5 General Risk Management  
(1) The operator or person in charge of any aircraft must take all reasonable and practicable steps to 
ensure that when the aircraft arrives in New Zealand territory, it is free of regulated pests and 
substantially free of biosecurity contamination.  
(2) While an aircraft is within New Zealand territory, the operator or person in charge o f the aircraft must 
ensure that no risk goods (including food and garbage) are discharged from or otherwise leave the 
aircraft  other than for disposal or biosecurity clearance via an approved process  at a place of first 
arrival . 
 
Guidance  
• For the purposes of this CRMS the following are examples of regulated pests and biosecurity 
contamination that are managed by this CRMS:  
− Animals and plants and parts thereof (for example, animal and plant waste, floral arrangements, 
fruit, or house plants ); 
− Domestic waste and the vacuum  cleaner waste  from cabin, deck, hold and other internal areas;  
− Pests and related material such as egg masses or nests;  
− Soil; and  
− Spillage from previous cargo in the aircraft (such as in the hold) . 
• Examples of goods that are  not considered to be risk goods for the purposes of 1. 5(2) above include:  
− Garbage that has been segregated from any risk goods (for example, recycling) and has been 
approved by an inspector as being free of biosecurity contamination and regulated pests.  
• Keeping the aircraft as clean as practicable (for example free of rodents and other pests, rubbish, soil 
and spilled cargo,) is an important and efficient way of ensuring the aircraft can be substantially free of 
biosecurity contamination.  
• These requirements apply to all aircraft while they are within New Zealand territory until such time as 
either the aircraft leaves New Zealand territory  or the  operator or person in charge has obtained written 
confirmation from an in spector that the aircraft com plies with part 2.3. 
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Part 2:  Specific Requirements  
2.1 Disinsection  
(1) All aircraft that arrive in New Zealand must be disinsected and carry a valid certificate of disinsection in 
accordance with the Schedule of Aircraft Disinsection Procedures for Flights into Australia and New 
Zealand . 
2.2 International Transit Aircraft  
(1) Subject to 2.2(3), t his part applies to all aircraft  that arrive in  New Zealand territory where  the operator 
or person in charge of an aircraft has given notice prior to arrival under Part 1.4 that the aircraft : 
a) has a scheduled time and date of departure from New Zealand ; and 
b) will visit only the first airport of arrival  (approved as a place of first arrival) . 
(2) The operator, or person in charge of the aircraft  must ensure that the aircraft : 
a) only visits the airport of first arrival; and  
b) only remains in New Zealand until the ir declared scheduled time and date of departure fro m New 
Zealand ; and  
c) all biosecurity contamination and other risk goods that remain on -board are to be securely stored 
in lockers, food carts or separate closable compartments  within the cabin and hold  at all times, 
unless otherwise directed by an MPI inspec tor. 
(3) If an aircraft cannot meet the requirements for International Transit Aircraft s in this Part,  the person in 
charge or operator must ensure that the aircraft meets the requirements of a Domestic Aircraft  in part 
2.3 and notify MPI at the relevant airport.  
2.3 Domestic aircraft  
(1) This part applies if an ope rator, or person in charge of an aircraft gives notice under Part 1.4 that the 
aircraft  will: 
a) remain in New Zealand territory without a scheduled time and date of departure from New 
Zealand ; or  
b) visit airports or landing strips  other than the airpor t of first arrival.  
(2) Before leaving the airport  of first arrival or otherwise within 8 consecutive hours of first arrival  in New 
Zealand, the operator or person in  charge of the aircraft  must obtain a written confirmation  of 
compliance  from an inspector that:  
a) the aircraft  is free of regulated pests and biosecurity contamination ; and  
b) any other risks goods have either:  
i) been removed from the aircraft  through an approve d process  or under direction from an 
inspector ; or 
ii) received biosecurity clearance under the Act . 
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Schedule  1 – Definitions  
This schedule sets out the definitions of terms used within this CRMS.  Unless a term has a specific definition 
listed below, then the meaning should be taken to be the same as that found in Section 2 of  the Biosecurity 
Act 1993.  
Act means the Biosecurity Act 1993 . 
Aircraft  means t he ordinary meaning of aircraft; for example aeroplanes, hydroplanes, and helicopters.  
Approved proc ess means a process approved by MPI as part of the approval of a place of first arrival under 
section 37 of the Act.  
Arrive in New Zealand  means  (for the purposes of an aircraft) to land (whether or not on land) in New 
Zealand territory after a flight orig inating outside New Zealand territory . 
Biosecurity Contaminant(s)  means  any organic material, other thing or substance that (by reasons of its 
nature, origin or other relevant factor) it is reasonable to suspect harbours or contains a regulated pest (or 
parts thereof) and where such material, other thing or substance is not intended for biosecurity clearance 
under the Act.   For the purposes of this CRMS the following are examples of biosecurity contamination that 
are managed by this CRMS:  
a) Animals and plant s and parts thereof (for example, animal and plant waste, floral arrangements, 
fruit, or house plants);  
b) Domestic waste and the vacuums from cabin, deck, hold and other internal areas;  
c) Pests and related material such as egg masses or nests;  
d) Soil; and  
e) Spillage from previous cargo in the hold.  
Domestic aircraft  means an aircraft that has received written confirmation of compliance  from MPI to travel 
throughout New Zealand and can remain in New Zealand for unspecified time . 
Disinsection  means t he procedure whereby measures are taken to control or kill the insect pests present in 
or on the internal surfaces of an aircraft such as the  cabin and hold areas .  
International transit aircraft means an aircraft that does not receive written confirmation of compliance by an 
inspector and can only travel to and remain at one POFA and is required to have a scheduled time and date 
of departure f rom New Zealand . 
Place of First Arrival (P oFA) means a place that has approval under section 37 of the Act for the arrival of 
craft from a  foreign place.  
Regulated Pest(s)  means   
a) any regulated pest, quarantine pest, or regulated non -quarantine pest as those terms are defined 
in the International Plant Protection Convention ; and  
b) exotic diseases, infections and infestations as listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health ; 
and  
c) any organism that that may cause unwanted harm to natural and physical resources or human 
health in New Zealand; or may interfere with the diagnosis, management, or treatment, in New 
Zealand, of pests or unwanted organisms.  
Written Confirmation of C ompliance  means written confirmation from an inspector that the aircraft complies 
with the requirements of part 2.3 (2) of this Standard; that being the aircraft is free of biosecurity 
contamination, regulated pests and other risk goods.