APHIS Establishes a Zeugodacus tau Fruit Fly Quarantine in Stevenson Ranch Area, Los Angeles County, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2023-09
July 21, 2023

Subject: APHIS Establishes a Zeugodacus tau Fruit Fly Quarantine in Stevenson Ranch Area, Los Angeles County, California

To: State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On July 11, 2023, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Zeugodacus tau fruit fly quarantine in the Stevenson Ranch area of Los Angeles County, California. This action is in response to the confirmed detections of nine flies from three trapping sites in the Stevenson Ranch area by CDFA between June 7 and July 6; all were from traps in residential areas. From July 12 to July 16, CDFA confirmed the detection of 13 additional flies from traps in the same vicinity, with no need to expand the quarantine area.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement or entry into foreign trade of regulated articles from the area to prevent the spread of Z. tau fruit fly to non-infested areas of the United States. In cooperation with CDFA, APHIS is establishing a quarantine area that encompasses 79 square miles of Los Angeles County. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commission to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory response.

The establishment of this quarantine is reflected on the following website, which contains a description of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas:

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

For additional information on the Z. tau fruit fly quarantine area, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-789-8824 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.

/s/
Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine