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THANKS for generating the post on origins. True, the detection of new invasives at the ports of entry is the key. To be most proactive, restrict and deter the movement of those invaders to begin with. This is not a new concept. On the agricultural side, regulations generated by the 1912 Plant Quarantine Act and other Acts since then have given authority to federal agencies to hold and reject imports due to significant pest risk. Inspections are conducted based on current regulations; current regulations reflect known pest risk; pest risk is assessed, in part, through review of national databases, including thousands of port interception records (40,000 pest interceptions for 2007 alone!). Diseases, insects, mollusks, nematodes, pest life stages, countries of origin, commodities associated with, ...all these trends are monitored. And every time a new plant commodity is proposed for import, a risk analysis is done before permits are issued. The Safeguarding net has many "threads" that keep it tight: regulations, trade negotiations, permits, port inspections, pathway analysis, targeted detection surveys, etc... It's a BIG SYSTEM. However, there are gaps in the net. Having the resources, funding to keep up with the volume of trade is an ongoing issue. But to respond further to one of your comments,...
Some members of the exotic pet trade industry have unfortunately bypassed the safeguarding net for a few quick buck$. Through smuggling-domestic production-sales of invaders, these new invaders make it into our backyards, ponds, and stream. I'm glad to see all this discussion on the Exotic Pet trade. The reason the pet trade is such "low-hanging fruit", is that outreach and education seem to be the best tools we have to prevent the problem in the first place.

posted 5 years ago
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