Under the regulations in Sec. 319.56-5, APHIS requires that determinations of pest-free areas be made in accordance with the criteria for establishing freedom from pests found in International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 4, ``Requirements For the Establishment of Pest Free Areas.'' The international standard was established by the International Plant Protection Convention of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization and is incorporated by reference in our regulations in 7 CFR 300.5. In addition, APHIS must also approve the survey protocol used to determine and maintain pest- free status, as well as protocols for actions to be performed upon detection of a pest. Pest-free areas are subject to audit by APHIS to verify their status.
APHIS has received a request from the Government of Australia to recognize new areas of that country as being free of Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), and to recognize other areas of the country as being free of Bactrocera tryoni, the Queensland fruit fly. Specifically, the Government of Australia asked that we recognize the States of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria as free of Medfly and the State of Western Australia as free of Queensland fruit fly.
Each proposed pest-free area is free of one of the fruit flies, but may have the other fruit fly, so fruit from these areas of Australia would still require a quarantine treatment.
However the treatments required are different for each fly, are less stringent than the treatments for both flies, and therefore are less damaging to the commodity.
In accordance with our regulations and the criteria set out in ISPM No. 4, we have reviewed and approved the survey protocols and other information provided by Australia relative to its system to establish freedom, phytosanitary measures to maintain freedom, and system for the verification of the maintenance of freedom.
Because this action concerns the expansion of a currently recognized pest-free area in Australia from which fruits and vegetables are authorized for importation into the United States, our review of the information presented by Australia in support of its request is examined in a commodity import evaluation document (CIED) titled ``Recognition of Additional States as Medfly and Queensland fruit fly Pest-Free Areas (PFA) for Australia.''
The CIED may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room).
You may request paper copies of the CIED by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. [[Page 56731]]
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.56-5(c), we are announcing the Administrator's determination that the States of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria meet the criteria of Sec. 319.56-5(a) and (b) with respect to freedom from Medfly and the State of Western Australia meets the criteria of Sec. 319.56-5(a) and (b) with respect to freedom from Queensland fruit fly.
After reviewing the comments we receive on this notice, we will announce our decision regarding the status of these areas with respect to their freedom from Medfly and Queensland fruit fly.
If the Administrator's determination remains unchanged, we will amend the list of pest-free areas to list the States of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria as free of Medfly and the State of Western Australia as free of Queensland fruit fly. Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of September 2011.
Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2011-23431 Filed 9-13-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
