Ms LeLievre said student Genesis Mahanga had found the first infected hive, but infection was widespread. Thousands of hives were being set up in the Far North from outside the district, some owners simply walking away from them when they became infected.
"It's the land owner who becomes the real victim," Tony Over said.
"With no bees there's no pollination, and we all know what that means."
The bacteria were all but impossible to kill, he added, and if the problem was not addressed it could be a couple of generations before a bee industry could be re-established.
"The problem is that no one is taking responsibility," but FNAL was prepared to lead the way.
"We will get rid of infected hives, but everyone has to do it," Ms LeLievre said.
"We need to identify abandoned sites too. The trouble is that commercial beekeepers won't transport infected hives with healthy ones, so they just leave them where they are."
Mr Sillick said the aim was to form a co-operative to safeguard the industry.
"We will seek and destroy infected hives, and if necessary identify whether they are infected, to save our honey industry," he said.
"If nothing is done we will all lose the opportunity to keep bees," Ms LeLievre added.
"This is a very contagious disease, and the industry is very fragmented. Something has to be done about that. We can start by helping hobbyists, who might not know what to look for."
Mr Sillick warned that the situation was potentially catastrophic.
"We have to nip this in the bud. We need a central depot, and that's what we are offering (at FNAL, Blencowe Street Kaitaia).
"This is the bee equivalent of Ebola, way worse than varroa," he said.