APHIS Removes Zone Y from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2020-17

August 18, 2020

 

Subject:           APHIS Removes Zone Y from the Giant African Snail (Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica) List of Regulated Areas

 

 To:                   State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

 

Effective July 22, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) removed giant African land snail (GAS) regulated area, Zone Y, from the list of quarantine areas in Miami-Dade County, Florida. APHIS and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) collaborated to develop the protocol for removing areas from quarantine. Under the protocol, APHIS and FDACS require an area/zone to meet the following criteria in order to remove it from quarantine:

• Surveillance and treatment efforts for 17 months with no detection of live GAS;
• An additional 19 months of surveillance with no detection of live GAS;
• A minimum of one negative detector dog survey; and
• A minimum of one negative night survey, when snails can be more active.

 

APHIS determined that Zone Y meets the criteria for removal from quarantine.

 

APHIS and FDACS will continue to evaluate the remaining GAS-infested areas to determine whether they meet the protocol criteria. The revised map and descriptions of the areas regulated for GAS are posted on the APHIS website at:

 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/giant-african-snail/ct_gas_program_info

 

For further information regarding the GAS program, please contact the National Policy Manager, Andrew R. Wilds, at 301-851-3051.

 

 

 

/s/

Osama El-Lissy

Deputy Administrator

Plant Protection and Quarantine