Biosecurity plan needs more funding

HILO — A proposed biosecurity plan for the state seeks additional funding and increased cooperation between government agencies to stop the spread of invasive species.

HILO — A proposed biosecurity plan for the state seeks additional funding and increased cooperation between government agencies to stop the spread of invasive species.

The Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan would be the first document of its kind and recognizes that keeping harmful and unwanted pests out of Hawaii is more than a single department’s responsibility, said Scott Enright, Department of Agriculture chairman.

“We can’t do it alone,” he said.

Other departments covered by the plan include Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Health and University of Hawaii.

A draft was released Wednesday containing more than 150 action items for addressing invasive species, including how to prevent them from reaching Hawaii in the first place.

Proposed actions include agreements with other states for preshipping inspection of cargo, an electronic manifest system, giving DOA authority to inspect nonagriculture items that are considered high risk, and interdepartment emergency response plans.

Enright said public meetings will be scheduled to discuss the proposals before Gov. David Ige signs a final version later this year.

Many of the action items will require additional funding, and Enright said he hopes the plan will help sound the alarm.

“The analogy I would use is climate change,” he said.

“There is a real problem about invasive species, but it’s about risk communication.

“We need to communicate to the general public and to elected officials of the gravity of the problem we have with invasive species.”

A draft version of the plan can be viewed at http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/main/biosecurityplan.

Comments can be submitted to jdebruyn@harveyecology.com.