Refuge staff who propose to release a biological control agent to manage an invasive species on-refuge complete the following: The USFWS Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health policy 601 FW 3 states that we do not introduce species on refuges outside their historic range or introduce species, unless such introduction is essential for the control of an invasive species and prescribed in an integrated pest management plan. Laws, regulations, and policy govern the release of USDA permitted biological control organisms on national wildlife refuges.
A supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation must be conducted before releases into additional states can be approved. Movement of exotic biocontrol organisms across state lines must be authorized by a USDA-APHIS-PPQ permit. Read more about TAG and the permitting process: TAG members review petitions for candidate biocontrol agents and provide information and advice to researchers and those in APHIS responsible for issuing permits for importation, testing, and field release of biocontrol agents. Federal and state governments provide rigid guidelines for testing, importation, and quarantine of selected natural enemies, and biological data are required by state and federal agencies for agents to be released from quarantine.įoreign exploration, quarantine, rearing, release, and host specificity testing all follow a specific set of guidelines and protocols, established and monitored by the Technical Advisory Group on the Introduction of Biological Control Agents of Weeds (TAG) of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Agents selected for biocontrol of invasive plants are imported into the United States after rigorous testing for host-specificity to ensure that the potential biocontrol organism attacks only the target invasive plant.
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