APHIS Expands Mediterranean Fruit Fly Quarantine in Los Angeles County, California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2023-23
November 14, 2023

 

Subject:           APHIS Expands Mediterranean Fruit Fly Quarantine in Los Angeles County, California

To:                   State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On November 1, 2023, and again on November 7, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles County, California. This action is in response to the confirmed detections by CDFA of an unmated female Medfly on October 12 and a male Medfly on October 31, from traps in fruit trees in residential areas. As a result of these detections, the Leimert Park area quarantine increased by 21 square miles to 90 square miles. There is no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area.

APHIS and CDFA established the original Medfly quarantine on October 18 following the confirmed detection of two flies in the Leimert Park area on September 27. 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 Medfly to non-infested areas of the United States. APHIS is working with CDFA and the Agricultural Commissioner of Los Angeles County to respond to these detections following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

The expansion of this quarantine area is reflected on the APHIS fruit fly website, which contains a description of all current federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of these changes in the Federal Register.

For additional information on the quarantine areas, please contact Fruit Fly National Policy Manager Richard Johnson at 301-851-2109 or richard.n.johnson@usda.gov.

 

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine