Restorative Biosecurity: integrating the concepts of recovery and restoration into the biosecurity continuum

Biosecurity governance has traditionally focused on prevention, preparedness, detection, and eradication, while recovery remains largely absent from the biosecurity continuum. We propose the concept of Restorative Biosecurity, a framework that integrates ecological restoration and disaster recovery principles to embed recovery as a core component of biosecurity practice. Under this approach, invasive species and disease incursions are treated as ecological disasters that require not only response and containment but also deliberate actions to restore ecological, social, and economic systems. Using freshwater fish conservation as an illustrative example, we explore how recovery‐oriented interventions—including invasive species removal, habitat re‐vegetation, structural habitat enhancement, and translocation of native species to restored refuge wetlands, can support biodiversity persistence and ecosystem resilience where eradication is not feasible. By extending biosecurity beyond a predominantly reactive paradigm, Restorative Biosecurity offers a more holistic and regenerative approach that strengthens long‐term ecological recovery and adaptation in increasingly invaded and climate‐impacted landscapes.