08-08-2007, 03:00 AM
We receive a newsletter from Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture every month with a partial list of interceptions made by Plant Quarantine staff across the state. I though you might be interested to see what they are catching!
Jane Adams
_________________________
INTERCEPTIONS BY PLANT QUARANTINE INSPECTORS
(The following is a sampling of recent interceptions by Plant Quarantine Inspectors)
May 26 – Oahu inspectors returned two shipments from the same shipper in Michigan that arrived via U.S. Postal Service. One carton contained a banana plant that was imported by a Kahului, Maui, resident and the other carton contained 21 banana plants and was imported by a Waipahu resident. The importation of banana plants is restricted.
May 30 – 25 red hooks fish (Myleus rubripinnis) imported by a Kaneohe fish distributor were confiscated and destroyed because the fish were less than four inches in length. When immature, certain characins cannot be distinguished from piranha. Hawaii law requires fish in this species to be at least four inches in length so they may be properly identified. The shipment arrived via air cargo from Miami via Atlanta.
June 5 – Oahu inspectors rejected a package of palm seeds that arrived via U.S. Postal Service from Germany because the seeds were surrounded by coconut fibers that were not treated as required by state rules.
June 7 – 13 – During this period, Maui inspectors rejected four air freight shipments totaling approximately 126 lbs. of organic strawberries, head cabbage, and baby heirloom lettuce that were infested with aphids. They also rejected 20 lbs. of pasilla peppers, which were infested with diptera pupae and 10 bunches of cut larkspur flowers infected with powdery mildew fungus. All rejected items were treated and destroyed.
June 19 – Maui inspectors rejected 40 lbs. of organic strawberries infested with aphids not known to occur in Hawaii, 24 bunches of cut solidago flowers from Columbia infested with a fungal rust disease, 150 lbs. of organic red leaf lettuce infested with aphids and other insects, 40 lbs. of red chard heavily infested with leaf miners, and 20 lbs. of green leaf lettuce heavily infested with aphids and thrips. All rejected items were treated and destroyed.
June 20 – Hilo inspectors refused entry of one carton of calla lilly plants which were infested with ants. The shipment arrived via U.S. Postal Service.
June 21 – Hilo inspectors intercepted and rejected a shipment of 150 Phoenix palm plants infested with nettle caterpillar. The shipment was being shipped from Hilo to an Oahu nursery. Viable eggs, larvae and pupae were found. On June 28, Hilo inspectors again intercepted a shipment of 150 Phoenix palm plants infested with nettle caterpillars. The second shipment was again destined for an Oahu nursery.
June 23 – Oahu inspectors destroyed 27 cartons of peony flowers that was part of a container shipment because the peonies were infested with a fungus that is not known to occur in Hawaii. The shipment arrived via ship from Oakland, California.
June 27 – Kona inspectors confiscated and destroyed 10 lbs. of banana leaves consigned to a Kailua-Kona produce wholesaler. The prohibited commodity originated in the Philippines and was shipped via air freight from San Francisco.
July 3 – Maui inspectors intercepted a parcel at Federal Express containing a live giant clam and six bags of various unidentified corals. The box was not properly labeled; however, a hole in the box revealed a Styrofoam cooler. The Maui importer did not have an import permit for the restricted commodities and the shipment was confiscated, treated and destroyed.
July 12 - Maui inspectors rejected five shipments consisting of five boxes (100 pounds) of organic leafy green vegetables heavily infested with scale and thrips and 35 pounds of organic oranges infested with California red scale, which is not known to occur in Hawaii. All of these air freight shipments were treated and destroyed.
July 17 - Maui inspectors rejected one box (10 pounds) of organic artichokes heavily infested with thrips and aphids; two boxes (30 pounds) of organic lancinato kale heavily infested with aphids; one box (10 pounds) of organic beets with tops heavily infested with leafminer larvae; and, ten boxes (80 pounds) of organic strawberries infested with a strawberry aphid, Chaetosiphon sp., which is not known to occur in Hawaii. They also rejected three boxes (60 pounds) of organic green leaf lettuce, which were heavily infested with aphids. These air freight shipments were treated and destroyed.
Jane Adams
_________________________
INTERCEPTIONS BY PLANT QUARANTINE INSPECTORS
(The following is a sampling of recent interceptions by Plant Quarantine Inspectors)
May 26 – Oahu inspectors returned two shipments from the same shipper in Michigan that arrived via U.S. Postal Service. One carton contained a banana plant that was imported by a Kahului, Maui, resident and the other carton contained 21 banana plants and was imported by a Waipahu resident. The importation of banana plants is restricted.
May 30 – 25 red hooks fish (Myleus rubripinnis) imported by a Kaneohe fish distributor were confiscated and destroyed because the fish were less than four inches in length. When immature, certain characins cannot be distinguished from piranha. Hawaii law requires fish in this species to be at least four inches in length so they may be properly identified. The shipment arrived via air cargo from Miami via Atlanta.
June 5 – Oahu inspectors rejected a package of palm seeds that arrived via U.S. Postal Service from Germany because the seeds were surrounded by coconut fibers that were not treated as required by state rules.
June 7 – 13 – During this period, Maui inspectors rejected four air freight shipments totaling approximately 126 lbs. of organic strawberries, head cabbage, and baby heirloom lettuce that were infested with aphids. They also rejected 20 lbs. of pasilla peppers, which were infested with diptera pupae and 10 bunches of cut larkspur flowers infected with powdery mildew fungus. All rejected items were treated and destroyed.
June 19 – Maui inspectors rejected 40 lbs. of organic strawberries infested with aphids not known to occur in Hawaii, 24 bunches of cut solidago flowers from Columbia infested with a fungal rust disease, 150 lbs. of organic red leaf lettuce infested with aphids and other insects, 40 lbs. of red chard heavily infested with leaf miners, and 20 lbs. of green leaf lettuce heavily infested with aphids and thrips. All rejected items were treated and destroyed.
June 20 – Hilo inspectors refused entry of one carton of calla lilly plants which were infested with ants. The shipment arrived via U.S. Postal Service.
June 21 – Hilo inspectors intercepted and rejected a shipment of 150 Phoenix palm plants infested with nettle caterpillar. The shipment was being shipped from Hilo to an Oahu nursery. Viable eggs, larvae and pupae were found. On June 28, Hilo inspectors again intercepted a shipment of 150 Phoenix palm plants infested with nettle caterpillars. The second shipment was again destined for an Oahu nursery.
June 23 – Oahu inspectors destroyed 27 cartons of peony flowers that was part of a container shipment because the peonies were infested with a fungus that is not known to occur in Hawaii. The shipment arrived via ship from Oakland, California.
June 27 – Kona inspectors confiscated and destroyed 10 lbs. of banana leaves consigned to a Kailua-Kona produce wholesaler. The prohibited commodity originated in the Philippines and was shipped via air freight from San Francisco.
July 3 – Maui inspectors intercepted a parcel at Federal Express containing a live giant clam and six bags of various unidentified corals. The box was not properly labeled; however, a hole in the box revealed a Styrofoam cooler. The Maui importer did not have an import permit for the restricted commodities and the shipment was confiscated, treated and destroyed.
July 12 - Maui inspectors rejected five shipments consisting of five boxes (100 pounds) of organic leafy green vegetables heavily infested with scale and thrips and 35 pounds of organic oranges infested with California red scale, which is not known to occur in Hawaii. All of these air freight shipments were treated and destroyed.
July 17 - Maui inspectors rejected one box (10 pounds) of organic artichokes heavily infested with thrips and aphids; two boxes (30 pounds) of organic lancinato kale heavily infested with aphids; one box (10 pounds) of organic beets with tops heavily infested with leafminer larvae; and, ten boxes (80 pounds) of organic strawberries infested with a strawberry aphid, Chaetosiphon sp., which is not known to occur in Hawaii. They also rejected three boxes (60 pounds) of organic green leaf lettuce, which were heavily infested with aphids. These air freight shipments were treated and destroyed.