Project Grant D25AP00179

WHAT IS BIOSECURITY? THE PACIFIC BIOSECURITY ORGANIZATION (2023) DEFINED BIOSECURITY AS THE MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT THE ARRIVAL, ESTABLISHMENT, AND SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES WITHIN A COUNTRY AND ACROSS ISLANDS. FURTHERMORE, THE SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (SPREP 2020) DESCRIBES BIOSECURITY AS THE TERM USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES TO CHARACTERIZE THE MEASURES REQUIRED TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF UNDESIRABLE SPECIES WITHIN A COUNTRY OR BETWEEN REGIONS OF A COUNTRY. SPREP (2020), STATED THAT BIOLOGICAL SECURITY IS THE ETYMOLOGICAL ORIGIN OF THE TERM BIOSECURITY, WHICH EMPHASIZES PROTECTION AGAINST EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS. BIOSECURITY CONSISTS OF A VAST ARRAY OF ACTIONS WITH THE COMMON GOAL OF PROTECTING A NATION S ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT AND POPULATION FROM BIOLOGICAL THREATS, SUCH AS PLANT AND ANIMAL PESTS AND DISEASES. THE PACIFIC INVASIVE SPECIES LEARNING NETWORK (PILN, 2023) INFORMED THAT INVASIVE SPECIES ARE THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE RESILIENCE OF ECOSYSTEMS, RESULTING IN A DECLINE IN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PRODUCTION AND A DIMINISHED CAPACITY TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE. HIGH-LEVEL OUTCOMES FROM THE PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY CONFERENCE HELD IN OCTOBER 2022 CONFIRMED THAT INVASIVE SPECIES ARE A MAJOR THREAT TO BUILDING AND MAINTAINING THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTABILITY OF PACIFIC ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS, AS WELL AS FOOD SECURITY, BIOSECURITY, SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS, AND THE PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES. PARTICIPANTS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INSULAR AREAS EXPRESSED A COLLECTIVE AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR COORDINATION AMONG PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES TO ADDRESS INVASIVE SPECIES ISSUES, STRESSING THE NEED FOR PACIFIC-WIDE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING BIOSECURITY PIECES OF TRAINING FOR THE PACIFIC REGION.DURING OUR RECENT MEETINGS, MEMBERS OF OUR AMERICAN SAMOA BIOSECURITY LEADERSHIP TEAM IDENTIFIED THE SIGNIFICANT SCOPE OF THE ISSUE, CHARACTERIZED BY QUANTITY MANAGEMENT ACTION GAPS AND INSUFFICIENT PUBLIC POLICIES AND REGULATIONS, WHICH MUST BE ADDRESSED TO ASSIST IN THE RESOLUTION OF BOTH TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE INVASIVE SPECIES PROBLEMS. THROUGH THIS PROPOSAL, WE AIM TO BRING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT SYSTEM CHANGE, ADVANCING BIOSECURITY MEASURES AT THE PORT OF ENTRY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN AMERICAN SAMOA. WE PLAN TO EQUIP THE GOVERNMENT BORDER CONTROL STAFF WITH PLACE-BASED BIOSECURITY PROGRAMS THAT ARE DIRECTLY APPLICABLE TO THE LOCAL CONTEXT OF AMERICAN SAMOA. WE ALSO PLAN TO WORK WITH VILLAGE PULENUU, OR MAYORS, TO FURTHER ENSURE THAT THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IS CONSIDERED WHEN THE BIOSECURITY PROGRAMS ARE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED. OUR PLANNED TRAINING WILL SWIFTLY MOVE OUR BIOSECURITY STAFF TO USE THEIR NEWLY GAINED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO COLLECT DATA, IDENTIFY HAZARDS, AND INVESTIGATE VIABLE SOLUTIONS. THE AMERICAN SAMOA BIOSECURITY LEADERSHIP INTER-AGENCY TEAM (ASBLT) ARE IN FULL AGREEMENT ON THE NECESSITY OF THIS INITIATIVE. THIS PROJECT HAS ALREADY STARTED IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BETWEEN THE AMERICAN SAMOA BIOSECURITY LEADERSHIP TEAM, 24 AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS DURING JULY 2024.THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST: COMPONENT A) FINANCIAL SUPPORT ($50,000.00) TO FACILITATE THE ATTENDANCE OF EIGHT BIOSECURITY EXPERTS, FROM NEW ZEALAND, FIJI AND INDEPENDENT SAMOA TO ATTEND THE OFFICE OF INSULAR AFFAIRS SPONSORED SECOND ON-ISLAND BIOSECURITY TRAINING WHICH WILL BE HELD IN TUTUILA AROUND JULY OR AUGUST OF 2026 AND COMPONENT B) FINANCIAL SUPPORT ($25,000.00) TO FACILITATE THE ATTENDANCE OF 2 (TWO) BIOSECURITY EXPERTS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM AMERICAN SAMOA TO ATTEND THE OFFICE OF INSULAR AFFAIRS SPONSORED REGIONAL BIOSECURITY TRAINING WHICH WILL BE HELD OFF-ISLAND IN 2025.