Caribbean countries must ensure that necessary measures are always in place to contain, control and where possible prevent the entry of invasive species within their borders, says Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, Arnold Piggott.
Addressing delegates on the opening day of a three-day symposium on invasive species in St. Kitts/Nevis on Tuesday, Piggott pointed out that keeping out such species would pose increasing challenges in a liberalised trading environment since there were several avenues that allowed for their movement.
But he suggested the strengthening of quarantine systems, dedicating more resources, improving the legislative framework and training and enforcement in addition to intensifying surveillance systems for early detection.
‘Invasive species’ or species not native to a particular ecosystem, predominantly plant pests, could harm the economic environment as well as human health.
Piggott noted that despite efforts at the national, regional and international levels, exotic pests continue to invade the Caribbean and the impact on trade can be both harmful and devastating, Piggott noted, according to a press release from the CARICOM Secretariat at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.
The annual symposium, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research (T-STAR), brings together policy makers and scientists working in the area of invasive species, predominantly plant pests.
“Keeping out or managing alien invasives will present even greater challenges as we further liberalise and expand trade. New trading arrangements such as the EPA and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy will further test resilience as we struggle to comply with existing trading agreements such as WTO,” Senator Piggott was quoted as saying.
He added, “We have no control over invasions by trans-boundary species which can spread by wind, water and other natural phenomena, and keeping them out could indeed be an enormous task. But by and large many invasive species come through our various ports of entry. These we can keep out by strengthening our quarantine systems. Dedicating more resources, improving our legislative framework, training and enforcement can do this. We can also intensify our surveillance systems for early detection, eradication or management.”
The Trinidad senator also emphasised that the impact of invasive organisms on trade can be quite costly and very devastating.
“The moment one country announces the presence of an invasive species it can expect some sort of immediate trade embargo, even when non-host species are traded. In many cases steps to be taken for restoration of trade can be quite costly.”
And invariably, he added, it involves research to develop treatment protocols for export that satisfy all parties, travel and inspections to declare pest-free status and the cost of implementing other management strategies.
Piggott also underscored the need for the management of invasive species through multi-dimensional, short-term and long-term approaches.
And the strategies should be aimed at increasing awareness and improving understanding of the impact of invasives on agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystems and trade and recognizing that invasive species should always be treated as a priority issue requiring national and international action to prevent their entry. Strategies must also aim at minimizing the intentional introduction of invasives and evaluating the risks of deliberate introductions such as biological control agents, in advance.
He also listed other strategies such as encouraging the development of action plans to eradicate or manage these invasives and encouraging the development and implementation of national legislation and international cooperation to regulate the introduction, eradication or management of invasives that may manage to get in.
