APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Sun Valley, Los Angeles County, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2018-22

July 3, 2018

 

 

Subject:    APHIS Removes the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine Area in Sun Valley, Los Angeles County, California

To:            State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective June 23, 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 area in the Sun Valley area of Los Angeles County, California.

On August 30, 2017, APHIS and CDFA established a Medfly quarantine in a regulated area of Sun Valley, California. The quarantine restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area to prevent the spread of Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after three adult male Medflies were detected between August 17 and August 30, 2017. Additional detections of adults and larvae occurred in residential sites in the area. Since that time, APHIS cooperated with the CDFA and the Los Angeles 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

For additional information on the Medfly quarantine area, please contact National Fruit Fly Policy Manager John Stewart at 919-855-7426.

 

Osama El-Lissy

Deputy Administrator

Plant Protection and Quarantine