94 



is an increase from 16 per year between 1937 and 1960. (By comparison, scientists 

 estimate that before man's arrival, a new invertebrate became established in Hawaii 

 on a rough average of only once every 10,000 years. The current rate of invasion, 

 then, is about 200,000 times more rapid than the natural rate.) 



Approximately one-half of the immigrant invertebrates established between 1981 

 and 1991 are regarded as economic pests. One in twenty — or about one per year — 

 is a "serious" economic pest. Since 1985, four new insect pests of sugarcane have 

 become established; of these, the lesser cornstalk borer alone has already cost sugar 

 planters an estimated $9 million. 



While information on how these pests are entering the State is incomplete, inspec- 

 tors estimate that most are entering via airline passenger flights, first-class mail 

 and cargo. The mainland U.S. is the leading source of pests, followed closely by 

 southeast Asia, tropical America and the southwest Pacific. 



Meanwhile a number of pest species already established in Hawaii are spreading. 

 Although concerted efforts have succeeded in Umiting the spread of selected crop 

 diseases or forest pests, most interisland pest traffic is largely unchecked. 



The chief areas of concern identified through interviews, a workshop with agency 

 staff and other research are as follows: 



1. A large proportion of the toteil passengers, cargo and other traffic entering 

 Hawaii is currently uninspected, including materials known to be significant 

 sources of new alien species; 



2. The effectiveness of inspections is hampered by inadequate sampling strat- 

 egies; 



3. Penalties for illegal introductions are inadequate; 



4. Federal quarantine programs do not adequately address Hawaii's special 

 vulnerability to foreign pests; 



5. The current process for determining which species are to be prohibited 

 from or allowed into the State does not adequately address the full range of 

 alien pest threats, and does not balance the interests of alien pest control 

 against horticultural or other plant and animal trades; 



6. Response to new infestations is frequently delayed by iurisdictional or orga- 

 nizational problems, allowing pests to become established and, in some cases, 

 to spread beyond control; 



7. Interisland spread of pests is a major, l£U"gely unregulated problem; 



8. Control efforts are not taking full advantage of available technologies; and 



9. Agency mandates sometimes call for maintenance of potentially destructive 

 alien species as resources for sport hunting, crops, aesthetic resources or other 

 values. 



Next Steps 



A multiagency planning effort is urgently needed to develop a cohesive and com- 

 prehensive pest prevention and control system. Over the past 100 years, agency pro- 

 grams have arisen ad hoc to address specific concerns of a particular audience. The 

 result today is a set of programs which are generally effective within their own ju- 

 risdictions but which, together, leave many gaps and leaks for pest entiy and estab- 

 lishment. A multiagency plan must invest especially in prevention activities because 

 of their lower cost and greater chances of success when compared to long-term con- 

 trol operations for an established pest. 



Effective systems will also require strong public support and participation, essen- 

 tially making pest prevention and control a part of everyday island life. Although 

 public understanding of threats like snakes and other dangerous pests has increased 

 through recent media exposure, the average citizen remains unaware of the mag- 

 nitude of the problem. On-going public support, however, depends on a compelling 

 and practical strategy for long-term prevention and control. 



A two-phased planning process is suggested, to begin in the summer of 1992. 

 Phase 1 should result in: 



a) Pre-entry prevention strategy; 



b) Port-of-entry sampling and inspection strategy; 



c) Statute, policy and rules review to clarify conflicts/gaps and determine a 

 coordinated approach for resolving them; 



d) Rapid response strategy; and 



c) Statewide control strategies for selected, established pests. 



Phase 2 planning is intended to draw on the products of Phase 1 to produce: 



a) Cohesive training strategy; 



b) Coordinated data systems; 



c) Coordinated research strategy; and 



