APHIS Removes Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) and Queensland Fruit Fly (Bactrocera tryoni) Quarantine Areas in California

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION
DA-2024-29
August 5, 2024

Subject: APHIS Removes Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) and Queensland Fruit Fly (Bactrocera tryoni) Quarantine Areas in California

To: State, Territory, and Tribal Agricultural Regulatory Officials

On July 26, 2024, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine in Leimert Park, Los Angeles County, California. This action releases 158 square miles from quarantine. There was no commercial agriculture in the quarantine area. On July 29, APHIS and CDFA removed the Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantine in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County. This action released 90 square miles including 3,379 acres of commercial agriculture from quarantine. Release from quarantine occurred after three generations elapsed since the date of the last detection in each area, based on a degree-day model.

APHIS and CDFA established the Leimert Park quarantine on October 18, 2023, following the confirmed detection of two adult male Medflies on September 27, 2023, and expanded the quarantine on November 1, 7, and 15 and December 5 and 27 following the detection of additional flies.

APHIS and CDFA established the QFF quarantine on October 19, 2023, following the confirmed detection of two adult male QFF on August 23 and October 9, 2023, and expanded the quarantine on November 21, following the detection of an additional fly on November 13. 

APHIS restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from these areas to prevent the spread of Medfly and QFF to non-infested areas of the United States. APHIS has worked cooperatively with the CDFA and the Los Angeles and Ventura County Agricultural Commissioners to eradicate these transient fruit fly populations through various control actions per program protocols.

The removal of these quarantine areas is reflected on the APHIS exotic fruit flies website, which contains a description of all current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas. APHIS will publish a notice of this change in the Federal Register.

For additional information on the fruit fly quarantine areas, please contact:

Richard Johnson
National Policy Manager
301-851-2109
richard.n.johnson@usda.gov

Avraham Eitam
Assistant National Policy Manager
614-205-4565
avraham.eitam@usda.gov

/s/

Dr. Mark L Davidson
Deputy Administrator
Plant Protection and Quarantine