Hydrilla is the scourge of Eastern waterways. This aquatic weed 

 blocks irrigation and drainage canals, promotes sedimentation in 

 flood control reservoirs, impedes navigation, and suppresses fish- 

 eries. $100 million is spent annually to control this and other 

 aquatic pests. Aquatic nuisances such as zebra mussels and Asiem 

 clams regularly clog municipal water lines and irrigation pipes. 



But nowhere are the effects of alien species more dramatic than 

 in Hawaii. The September 1993 Office of Technology Assessment 

 report concluded that few economic or non-economic activities in 

 Hawaii are unaffected by the influx of alien pests. The Aloha State 

 is a case study of what happens when alien pests run wild. 



Hawaii receives an average of 18 new pests annually. This is 

 more than a million times the natural rate and more than twice 

 the number absorbed each year on the mainland. The lack of a win- 

 ter frost means that these uninvited guests multiply all year long. 

 Hawaii has no aloha for these noxious pests. 



Faced with a steady invasion of alien pests, it is no wonder that 

 the State's environment has been overwhelmed. Ten percent of Ha- 

 waii's plant species are already extinct, and about 30 percent of 

 those that remgiin are threatened or endangered. 



Hawaii has become a magnet for the world's noxious pests. Be- 

 cause of intentional and accidental introductions, alien pests such 

 as banana poka, fire tree, army worm, five species of fruit fly, and 

 a host of feral animals impose a tremendous burden on our econ- 

 omy and our environment. The list goes on and on. 



I recently received a letter ^ fi*om Hawaii's Outdoor Circle asking 

 that I investigate a new threat, the ivy gourd. According to their 

 letter, this pest is growing out of control on the windward side of 

 Oahu. The list of Hawaii's alien species seems to get longer each 

 day. 



We also have a healthy fear of pests that have yet to reach our 

 shores. The arrival of the brown tree snake would be an obituary 

 for Hawaii's native forest birds. 



Alien pests do not just compete with native species; they dra- 

 matic£illy alter the landscape and change the rules of the game by 

 which native species live. As a result, we are rapidly losing our liv- 

 ing heritage of plants and animals that constitute the foundation 

 of biological diversity. 



Due to the explosive growth in commerce, tourism, and travel, 

 the army of invading pests is on the rise. Hawaii is a good example 

 of this trend. A 50 percent increase in air traffic during the 1980's 

 made Honolulu the 15th busiest airport in the Nation. Pests arrive 

 as stowaways in transportation equipment and cargo. Plants and 

 animals are brought in, intentionally or unintentionally, by the in- 

 creasing numbers of travelers. 



Even our own residents are to blame. In February 1992, the Ha- 

 waii Department of Agriculture sponsored a 1-week amnesty pro- 

 gram for residents to turn in illegal animals. The campaign netted 

 53 animals, including various snakes, reptiles, and amphibians, as 

 well as harvester ants, hamsters, and birds. 



Experience in Hawaii and elsewhere demonstrates that we have 

 no effective national policy to combat the threats of alien pests. 



1 See page 139. 



