Country: United States

Title: Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean Fruit Fly) - APHIS Establishes Quarantine in the Fairfield Area of Solano County, California

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

Report:

Effective September 25, 2017, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in Fairfield, Solano County, California. Though residential, the quarantine area does include commercial hosts. APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from this area.

On August 23, 2017, CDFA and Solano County program staff confirmed a single adult female Medfly in Fairfield. CDFA confirmed three additional male Medflies on September 25, which triggered a new federal and state quarantine area. CDFA confirmed one additional male Medfly on September 30 in the same general vicinity, resulting in a total of five Medflies detected from four locations. Currently, the quarantine area encompasses approximately 85 square miles. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Solano County Agriculture Commissioner’s office to respond to these detections following program survey, treatment, and quarantine protocols. This action is necessary to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States.

The establishment of this quarantine area 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 transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.

Posted Date: Oct. 25, 2017, 9 a.m.