Usd A-Aphis Pest Surveillance And Detection Activities In The Caribbean Region: Technical Challenges Facing The Implementation Of A Caribbean Invasive Species Strategy

The continued increase in agricultural commerce, tourist traffic, and expanding markets increases the risk of introduction of invasive alien species into and within the Caribbean Region. In order to safeguard the Region's agricultural and natural resources and the markets of individual Caribbean countries, the countries in the Region must cooperate with a regional invasive species intervention strategy. Since there exists a wide disparity of resources among the Caribbean nations, international cooperation will be required if a regional strategy is to be implemented. The USDA APHIS is prepared to partner with the other regulatory agencies in this endeavor. Existing and proposed APHIS surveillance and detection programs conducted in cooperation with other nations within the Caribbean Region include: a Clean Stock Program in Costa Rica, a Sentinel Survey Program around the Panama Canal, a Risk Notification System for Central American and West Indian countries, an emerging or new pest detection program throughout the region, a fruit fly detection and eradication program in Barbados, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, and a terrestrial snail survey and control program throughout the region. Caribbean Basin countries must cooperate in the detection and surveillance of invasive species in order to share knowledge, information, and resources that will help to exclude specific pests and diseases from the region or mitigate their occurrence where found.