The state Department of Agriculture said it’s moving along with its invasive species action plans, although so far it hasn’t provided any information about them.
In June, the DOA, state Department of Land and Natural Resources and University of Hawaiʻi finalized a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop plans to fight some of Hawaiʻi’s most worrisome pests.
In a brief update at a state Board of Agriculture meeting on Wednesday, the department said it approved a plan for little fire ants and is working on more for coconut rhinoceros beetles and coqui frogs.
However, the board didn’t provide any details about the plan during the meeting, prompting concern from Hawaiʻi Sierra Club Director Wayne Tanaka.
Tanaka has been vocal about urging the agriculture department to do more about invasive species.
“ I just feel like there's a lot more information that the public's interested in, especially (about) coordination with the groups on the ground that are doing, the front line work and combat against little fire ants and CRB. We want to encourage coordination and collaboration with these people,” Tanaka said at the board meeting.
The MOU makes the agencies responsible for different parts of invasive species management, including detecting pest infestations, treatments and investigations.
The goal of the agreement is to coordinate agencies’ efforts to fight invasive species — which so far has been piecemeal.
The DOA, which leads the state’s effort in fighting invasive species, also recently approved an interim LFA rule for quarantine areas and material that could be infested.
Additionally, a more permanent set of changes to the Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules (HAR) was approved in January 2023, but the department has yet to implement those rules. The changes also include quarantines of infested material.
Earlier this month, Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, perhaps the most ardent state lawmaker in pushing the DOA to manage invasive species, again called on the department to move forward with its various plans and rule changes.
Most of the written testimony for the board meeting this week also asked for updates to the new HAR rules.
“These quarantine rules are crucial in the all-hands-on-deck fight against the rapid spread of invasive pests … Businesses such as nurseries and landscapers and significant vectors for the spread of these pests, including into regions where they had been previously eradicated,” said testifier Linda Lyerly.
