The state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity plans to move ahead with new measures to limit the spread of invasive coconut rhinoceros beetles on Hawaiʻi Island.
In a petition reviewed by the board on Tuesday, community groups asked officials to create a containment zone around areas of West Hawaiʻi where the beetle has been located.
Businesses within the zone, which includes Keāhole Agricultural Park, will have to agree to certain rules about the transport of beetle host materials.
The current infestation on the Kona coast started in March 2025.
"We've been alarmed week by week, watching this spread of the beetle," said Franny Brewer, the project manager for the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, during Tuesday’s meeting.
"I'm texting with my staff. They're finding beetles today. We need something to be done now."
Several individuals and community groups testified in support of the petition.
However, some business owners based in Keāhole Ag Park expressed concerns about how the new protocols would affect their operations.
Keith Weiser with the University of Hawaiʻi CRB Response Team said that similar protocols adopted on Oʻahu in 2022 did not result in any business closures.
"I'm confident the Department of Agriculture can craft a rule that doesn't shut anybody down, but does provide some protection and slows the spread," he said.
The board will review the final rules at its next meeting on March 24. Once enacted, containment measures will be in place for a year.
