Sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias) is a significant environmental weed in southern Australia. Coastal dune ecosystems are continuously being invaded by ocean-dispersed seed, making control of this weed difficult. Biological control can provide a sustainable, landscape scale approach for sea spurge management, especially in the remote locations of many infestations.

Initial work was supported by the Tasmanian government and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC; now known as Agrifutures Australia), identifying Venturia paralias (previously referred to as Passalora euphorbiae) during field surveys in France and Spain.

Host testing and initial release programs across Victoria and Tasmania (2017-2024) were part of a sub-project supported by the NSW Environmental Trust.

The current mass-release program across all Australian states is funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) under the Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program and is being led by the CSIRO.