Regulation Of Biological Control Research Articles

Advances in the Regulation of Weed Biological Control in South Africa

Regulation of biological control (biocontrol) is essential to ensure its continued safety and to enhance its acceptability as a key contributor to the management of damaging invasive alien plants in South Africa. Local researchers were concerned that regulators may become risk averse and over-cautious, thus preventing introductions of safe biocontrol agents, as bureaucratic impediments have contributed to the decline in the number of biocontrol releases in several other countries. In South Africa, the introduction of a transparent and inclusive review process has averted these concerns. Legislation in South Africa enables departments concerned with protecting environmental and agricultural resources, to work together to regulate potential risks. An interdepartmental committee, advised by independent specialists, facilitate the review of research into the safety of potential biocontrol agents. Regulators have reviewed and timeously assessed 26 potential biocontrol agents between 2013 and 2020. This has ensured that the considerable benefits from safe biocontrol agents are available for management of some of South Africa's worst invasive alien plants. We review the system in South Africa and suggest possible improvements to the regulatory framework.

REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS WITH BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PUBLIC HEALTH PESTS

Laws and regulations specifically focused on biological control of public health pests are rare, so public health staff that implement biocontrol programs for mosquitoes must be familiar with a large number of more general statutory and regulatory requirements that do apply, and that have become increasingly demanding in recent years. These requirements can be divided into two basic categories. First, numerous laws and regulations directly govern introductions or relocations of living organisms; while most focus on ‘‘pest’’ or ‘‘nuisance’’ species and how to minimize their potential negative impacts, some specifically address biological control activities. Second, a wide range of general-purpose environmental statutes, including laws protecting endangered species, regulating pesticide use, protecting water quality, and requiring evaluation of environmental impacts, regulate biological control programs indirectly. Compliance with all the relevant laws and regulations can be challenging, in part because of the sheer number and variety of requirements, but also because the requirements of different laws, agencies, or levels of government are frequently ambiguous or contradictory, and finally because they vary dramatically depending on the site and the species used. In some jurisdictions such as California, Hawaii, or New Zealand, which have large numbers of rare or endemic organisms and well-developed agricultural sectors, the regulatory requirements for releasing novel biological control agents can be quite stringent. In other places and/ or with more familiar or established organisms such as Gambusia affinis, specific rules may be nonexistent or straight-forward, though general environmental laws can still demand considerable attention and care. This chapter is divided into five sections, starting with an introduction to essential legal and regulatory concepts and terms. The second section reviews governmental oversight over the release or relocation of living organisms in general, while the third more narrowly focuses on regulation of biological control in particular. Next is an introduction to general environmental statutes, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and equivalent statutes in other jurisdictions. Finally, a case study of fish stocking for mosquito control in California illustrates many of the regulatory principles and challenges associated with biological control of public health pests. This chapter emphasizes U.S. and, even more specifically, California laws and regulations; though the principles are broadly applicable, some laws and regulations from other jurisdictions are also used to illustrate variations.