- The common name “Asian romani moth” has been changed, as the term “romani” has been deemed derogatory.
- Vessels which have met requirements of Section 2.1 of D-95-03 AND are found free of FSMC after inspection by United States Customs and Border Protection.
- To prevent a similarly high number of vessels with egg masses arriving in 2023, extra vigilance by vessels in conducting self-inspection is requested.
The High Risk period for Flighted Spongy Moth Complex (FSMC; formerly AGM Moth) introduction via ships entering Western Canadian ports begins March 1, 2023.
Changes for 2023
The common name “Asian Romani moth” has been changed, as the term “Romani” has been deemed derogatory.
The group of moths making up the AGM complex (Lymantria dispar asiatica, Lymantria dispar japonica, Lymantria umbrosa, Lymantria postalba and Lymantria albescens), are now referred to as the flighted spongy moth complex (FSMC).
All countries with vessel certification programs for this complex (Canada, United States, New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina) have agreed to and enacted this common name change.
However, updates to websites, policies, forms, certificates, educational material etc., to reflect the new common name are anticipated to take some time and may vary from country to country. Therefore, reference to AGM and Asian romani moths may continue to be seen during this time of transition.
Reminders
Certificates using these names will continue to be considered valid if they have been issued by a recognized certification body.
The name change has no bearing on program requirements or regulations.
As a reminder:
- Agents must notify CFIA of a high risk vessel’s arrival 96 hours in advance of arriving in Canadian waters. When the appropriate paperwork has been provided, the CFIA will send the agent electronic confirmation that the vessel may enter.
- Vessels arriving without advance notification and/or certification are considered non- compliant and are subject to enforcement action.
- Regulated vessels inspected for FSMC are subject to applicable fees as listed in the CFIA Fees Notice (Part 12, Table 1, 8(f)).
- All marine vessels entering Canada are subject to inspection at any time of the year to verify freedom from FSMC.
- The Specified Risk Periods (SRPs) for Japan and Russia were revised in 2022 and are in full effect.
Vessels free of FSMC
Vessels which have met requirements of Section 2.1 of D-95-03 AND are found free of FSMC after inspection by United States Customs and Border Protection (US-CBP), Chile’s Servicio Agricola Y Ganadero (SAG), or New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) may enter a Canadian port without inspection, provided that the report of inspection is presented to CFIA in conjunction with arrival notification.
Vessels that do not present the US-CBP, SAG, or MPI Inspection Report in advance are still subject to inspection and related fees.
Vessels entering canada free of FSMC
Please note that all marine vessels entering Canada must be free from all life stages of FSMC. Upon inspection, if a CFIA inspector is not satisfied that the risk of introducing FSMC can be mitigated, the vessel will be ordered out of Canadian waters and refused entry for up to two years during the High Risk Period for Canada or until the ship meets the requirements specified in Section 2.1 of D-95-03.
Good ship cleaning practices
We recommend agents and stakeholders advise crews to maintain good ship cleaning practices such as minimizing rust, storing excess equipment, and clearing debris from the outer decks of vessels, as this will help reduce the chance of FSMC infestation while in regulated areas.
This helps to minimize sheltered surface area where egg masses may be deposited, and also improves the efficacy of the FSMC certification inspection and vessel self-inspection.
In addition, this will reduce the inspection time at arrival in Canada and allow the CFIA maximum access to vessel structure to assist in compliance decisions.
In recent years, very high numbers of moths were observed in many regulated ports. Due to these population outbreaks, a high number of vessels arrived in North American ports with FSMC egg masses.
To prevent a similarly high number of vessels with egg masses arriving in 2023, extra vigilance by vessels in conducting self-inspection— in addition to obtaining FSMC certification— is requested.
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Source: Xinde Marine News
