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In Reply Refer To: 

 FWS/TE/93-3428 



Hr. Tom Cannon 

 Chairman, Maui County 



Cultural Resources Commission 

 250 South High Street 

 Wailuku, Hawaii 96733 



Dear Mr. Cannon: 



Your August 5, 1993, letter to Secretary Babbitt, regarding protecting 

 Hawaii's environment from non-native species, has been referred to the 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for response. 



Your comments regarding the impact 

 environment are most appropriate, 

 species in Hawaii exceeds that in a 

 alien species is a significant fact 

 Endangered Species Act are impacted 

 plants. All listed bird species in 

 introduced mosquitoes that carry av 

 predators that prey on the birds, 1 

 native species with which the birds 

 competitors and carriers of disease 

 native habitat. For these reasons, 

 Inspection requirement for wildlife 



of nonindlgenous species on Hawaii's unique 

 The number of threatened and endangered 

 ny other State, and the introduction of 

 or. All Hawaiian plants listed under the 



by introduced ungulates, insects, and 



the State are endangered or threatened by 

 ian diseases. Introduced mammalian 

 ntroduced plants that take the place of the 



evolved, introduced birds that act as 

 , and introduced ungulates that destroy 



the Service supports a stringent 



and plants entering Hawaii. 



The Service is r 

 Into or exported 

 We have a team o 

 conduct these wi 

 statutory author 

 Hawaii, except 1 

 injurious wild! 1 

 an endangered or 

 of an Endangered 



esponsible for inspecting wildlife and some plants imported 

 from the United States, including several injurious species, 

 f wildlife inspectors at the Honolulu International Airport to 

 Idlife import-export inspections. The Service does not have 

 ity to inspect flights from the United States mainland to 

 n instances involving a required permit (e.g., transporting 

 fe under the authority of a Lacey Act permit or transporting 

 threatened species in interstate commerce under the authority 

 Species Act permit). 



.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has the authority to inspect 

 shipments for agricultural pests only. The current practice of inspecting all 

 luggage leaving Hawaii for the mainland may have been brought about by the 

 fruit fly threat to mainland agriculture. Although California is certainly a 

 irajor destination point from Hawaii, all luggage headed for the mainland, 

 regardless of the destination State, is inspected. The U.S. Customs -Service 

 also supports the efforts of the USDA. the Service, and the State of Hawaii by 

 being watchful for imported plants, animals, and soil. 



