[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 101 (Thursday, May 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 45626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11318]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 101 / Thursday, May 23, 2024 / 
Notices  

[[Page 45626]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0058]


Addition of Aruba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Timor-
Leste, and Yemen to the List of Regions Affected by Screwworm

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Aruba, Eritrea, 
Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Timor-Leste, and Yemen to the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on the APHIS 
website of regions considered affected with screwworm. We took this 
action because of the confirmation of screwworm in these regions.

DATES: Aruba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Timor-Leste, and 
Yemen were added to the list of regions considered affected with 
screwworm effective June 8, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, APHIS Veterinary 
Services, Regionalization Evaluation Services, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; telephone: (919) 855-7732; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 (referred 
to below as the regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of 
certain animals into the United States to prevent the introduction of 
communicable diseases and pests of livestock. Subparts C, D, E, and F 
of the regulations govern the importation of horses, ruminants, swine, 
and dogs, respectively.
    Horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs may be imported into the United 
States from the regions where screwworm is considered to exist only if 
they are inspected and, if necessary, treated for screwworm according 
to the conditions outlined in the regulations for each type of animal. 
The requirements for horses are set out in Sec.  93.308(a)(3) and 
include not only pre-embarkation and post-arrival inspection and 
treatment requirements, but also quarantine in the United States for 7 
days after arrival, and examination by a veterinarian before release 
from quarantine. The requirements for ruminants and swine are set out 
in Sec. Sec.  93.405(a)(3) and 93.505(b) and are the same as for 
horses, other than the 7-day quarantine and final examination of the 
animal. The requirements for dogs are set out in Sec.  93.600 and 
require that all dogs from affected regions be inspected and, if 
necessary, treated before importation.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a 
list of regions APHIS considers affected with screwworm on its website 
at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. 
APHIS will add a region to the list upon determining that screwworm 
exists in the region based on reports we receive of detections of the 
pest from veterinary officials of the exporting country, from the World 
Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), or from other sources the 
Administrator determines to be reliable.
    Screwworm is reported on the WOAH website as having occurred in 
Aruba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Timor-Leste, and Yemen in at 
least one biannual WOAH reporting period since at least 2005, and APHIS 
has not confirmed that screwworm was subsequently eradicated from any 
of these regions. Accordingly, on June 8, 2022, APHIS added Aruba, 
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Timor-Leste, and Yemen to the list 
of regions APHIS considers affected with screwworm. As a result, 
horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs from these regions are subject to 
APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate risk of screwworm 
introduction into the United States.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 
U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of May 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-11318 Filed 5-22-24; 8:45 am]
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