Gard Club in its published guide, Managing FSMC risks, has answered frequently asked questions on FSMC, in order to inform interested parties on the matter.
In March 2022 the Entomological Society of America (ESA) announced that the common name for Lymantria dispar would now be “spongy moth”, replacing the name “gypsy moth” which was considered derogatory. As a result, the common name Flighted Spongy Moth Complex (FSMC) will now be used to refer to the group of moths previously known as Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM).
Q1: What are the risks related to the introduction of FSMC?
The United States has detected and eradicated many FSMC infestations in the past and their Department of Agriculture describes the risks as follows: “Large infestations of FSMC can completely defoliate trees, weakening the trees and leaving them more susceptible to disease. If FSMC defoliates trees for 2 or more years, it can lead to the death of large sections of forests, orchards, and landscaping. An introduction into the United States would pose a major threat to the landscape of the North American continent”
Q2: Why does the maritime industry have a role in managing FSMC risks?
Attracted to lights, the FSMC females often lay their eggs on a vessel’s superstructure. Vessels and cargo, such as containers, are therefore known to be involved in the artificial spread of the pest by carrying the egg masses from one port to another. FSMC egg masses tolerate extremes in temperature and moisture, and the larvae can, under the right conditions, hatch from an egg masse up to a year after it was attached to a vessel’s structure. After hatching, the larvae travel great distances with the wind to find food and may colonise in a new country if left unaddressed. It is therefore vital that the maritime industry and relevant port authorities collaborate on measures to minimise the risk of FSMC incursions and implement procedures and policies emphasising vessel inspections.
Q3: Which ports are infested by FSMC and at what time of the year do the FSMC females lay their eggs?
FSMC is found in Asia Pacific and there are high density populations in ports in East Russia, Northeast China, Korea, and Japan. These FSMC infested areas are also referred to as the regulated areas or the risk areas. The FSMC flight season, when females lay their eggs and there is a risk of egg mass depositions, extends from May to OctoberSeptember, primarily from Junely to OctoSeptember in East Russia and northern Japan, from June to September in Korea and China, from mid-May to mid-September in the remaining parts of Japan depending on the specific port location. The FSMC flight season is also referred to as the specified risk period or the high-risk period in each of the regulated areas.
Q4: Which countries regulate and inspect arriving vessels for FSMC?
Countries where this pest is not native and that are currently known to regulate and inspect arriving vessels for FSMC are: the United States, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand (the regulating countries) and question Q9 below provides an overview of their relevant requirements. However, authorities in other countries are also likely to be alert to the risk of this invasive and destructive pest.
Q5: What are the criteria for classifying a vessel as high risk of FSMC?
In general, and since the FSMC larvae can hatch from egg masses up to a year after they were laid/attached to the vessel, a vessel which has called at a port in a regulated area during the specified risk period of the current or previous calendar year is considered high risk of FSMC. However, there is no uniform international definition of the regulated areas or specified risk periods and we refer to Q9 and the country specific requirements for further details.
Q6: What is required from a vessel that is classified as high risk of FSMC?
The regulating countries generally require all arriving vessels to declare whether they have traded to ports within the regulated areas in the current or previous specified risk period and the need for an inspection will be determined based on an assessment of the vessel’s overall FSMC risk. Most regulating countries also require vessels to be certified free of FSMC. Please see Q9 for details about each country’s entry requirements.
Q7: Are the regulating countries performing FSMC inspections all year round?
Vessels entering a regulating country may be subject to inspection at any time of the year to verify freedom from FSMC. However, as the potential for larvae to hatch from egg masses attached to a vessel in port, and spread, depends on the local climatic conditions at a specific port, each of the regulating countries may specify certain periods of the year with heightened surveillance and more systematic inspection for FSMC. Please see Q9 for details about each country’s inspection procedures.
Q8: What happens if FSMC egg masses are detected during port inspections?
Actions imposed on the vessel depend on each country’s regulation, taking into account climatic conditions at the time of entry as well as the degree of FSMC infestation, and the stage of development of the egg masses detected. In some cases the vessel may be allowed to berth before being cleaned and handled with insecticide spraying whilst alongside. In other cases, if the vessel’s itinerary indicate that the presence of FSMC life stages are possible and large amounts of egg masses that appear fresh and viable for hatching are detected, the risk may be considered too high and the vessel can be ordered to leave the country’s territorial waters immediately. In extreme cases, vessels may be refused entry for up to two years during the FSMC risk periods in that country (e.g. Canada).
Q9: What are the county specific requirements?
In terms of FSMC regulations, the following should be noted for the 2023 FSMC season:
- Canada and the US implemented changes to their policies on FSMC regulated areas, which means that the specified risk period, i.e. the time period during which FSMC certification is required, for vessels that have called on certain ports in Japan and Russia has been increased/lengthened.
- Chile defines regulated ports in Asia Pacific as all ports located between 20°and 60° N latitude. As a result, Chilean authorities may target vessels that have called at South Chinese ports that are currently not regulated by the US, Canada, and New Zealand.
- Argentina’s FSMC regulations entered into force in April 2021, but its policy on FSMC regulated areas was amended ahead of the 2023 flight season. Hence, beginning in 2023, the specified risk period for vessels that have called on certain ports in Japan and Russia has been increased/lengthened and is now in line with that of the US and Canada. It is also worth noting that Argentina, like Chile, defines regulated ports in Asia Pacific as all ports located between 20°and 60° N latitude.
- Australia announced in December 2022 that its annual heightened vessel surveillance window for managing the risks posed by FSMC on vessels began on 1 January 2023. The Australian authorities continue to target only vessels that have visited a port in East Russia between 40ºN, 60ºN and west of 147ºE, anytime between 1 July and 30 September in the previous two calendar years.
- New Zealand’s specified risk periods in regulated ports in Asia Pacific no longer mirrors those of the US and Canada and only vessels that in the past 12 months were in one of these regulated ports during the risk periods are required to present a valid pre-departure certificate.
