USA/3246
WTO/SPS
US Etats-Unis d'Amérique
  • 65 - Agriculture
2021-07-17
2021-05-20

Marine Vessels

Proposed Revisions to APHIS Guidance Document: Special Procedures for Ships Arriving from Areas with Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) - modifications to specified risk periods in Japan, Russia, Republic of Korea and China. Language(s): English. Number of pages: 7

APHIS is revising its Guidance document on Special Procedures for Ships Arriving from Areas with Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) to reflect proposed changes to specified risk periods (SRPs) as noted in the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) Position Document on Asian gypsy moth (AGM) specified risk periods in Japan, Russia, Republic of Korea and China. The APHIS proposed changes are based on regional scientific and technical analysis conducted by the Asian gypsy moth Expert Group of the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO), which includes APHIS as one of its members.

The Asian gypsy moth Expert Group of the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) has reviewed the specified risk periods (SRPs) for the AGM species complex in all AGM regulated countries (China, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Russia). Following a review of available data and consultations with AGM-regulated countries, revisions to the SRPs are proposed for Japan and Russia which include:

·           Adjustments to the SRP regions and extending the SRP start and end dates for some regions in Japan.

·           Extending the SRP start and end date in Russia.

·           A reduction in the total number of specified risk periods from six to four.

Based on available data, there are no changes to the SRPs for the Republic of Korea or China at this time.

For vessels which call on ports in North America, the revision to the SRPs mean that the time period where AGM certification is required for vessels that have called on ports in Japan and Russia has been increased/lengthened. Implementation of changes to the SRPs is planned to begin in 2022.  

APHIS will finalize the updates to the Guidance document Special Procedures for Ships Arriving from Areas with Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) to reflect the changes to the SRPs by November 2021.

Countries in which a marine shipping industry operates will be the most affected as any vessels destined to the U.S. that called on ports in Japan, far-east Russia, China and the Republic of Korea during the Specified Risk Period (SRP) for Asian gypsy moth (AGM) will need to comply with the revised SRP dates. AGM-regulated countries will be the most affected as their inspection and certification bodies will need to adjust to accommodate increased workload due to the expansion of the SRPs in far east Russia and Japan.