Country: United States

Title: Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly): APHIS Removes the Quarantine Area in Half Moon Bay Area of San Mateo County, California

Contact:
John Stewart, National Fruit Fly Policy Manager, at 919-855-7426.

Report:

Effective October 4, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in the Half Moon Bay area of San Mateo, California.

On November 22, 2017, APHIS and CDFA established a Medfly quarantine in an area of Half Moon Bay, California, restricting interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after two adult male Medflies were detected between November 14 and November 22, 2017. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with the CDFA and the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner’s office to eradicate the transient Medfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Medfly life-cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. This removal of the quarantine is reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/ff-quarantine

Under IPPC Standards, Ceratitis capitata is considered to be a pest that is absent and eradicated from the United States.

Posted Date: Nov. 1, 2018, 9 a.m.