20.2.1 Import of Alien Species
Several government departments administer import applications for alien species; on a
national level those are the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries (DEFF)
and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD)
mainly concerning new introductions into the country. For many other introductions of
alien species and species new to a province, provincial departments are still largely
responsible for the reviewing of import applications to introduce species from outside
the country. They generally need to adhere to provincial legislation, but the processes
followed vary significantly between provinces and taxa. Furthermore, they depend on
the expertise available in the respective departments, and no consistent frameworks are
followed to guide decision-making. In the following paragraphs, we mainly focus on the
import of new alien species.
DALRRD (through South Africa’s National Plant Protection Organisation,
NPPOZA), is mandated to prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of
alien pest or disease species on plants and plant products. DALRRD conducts
pre-border risk analysis for agricultural species imported into South Africa. These
analyses have a focus both on minimising the risks of introducing pathogens or pests
on imported species and on the risks of the species themselves becoming invasive.
The responsibility of DALRRD is to reduce risks of agriculture, but in the absence of
other processes before the promulgation of the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations (see van
Wilgen et al. 2020, Chap. 1, Box 1.1), DALRRD have issued permits for new
introductions of non-agricultural alien species as well. This has not been sufficient
to address all of the environmental risks associated with the introduction of new
species, and the minimum standards for accepting introductions has historically been
set differently for different organisms introduced for different purposes.
To address this, the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations were developed and DEFF
mandated to issue permits for alien species not yet legally present in the country (i.e.
new introductions) (Department of Environmental Affairs 2014). Every application for
the import of a species not yet present in a country needs to be accompanied by a risk
analysis according to international agreements (Box 20.1). The NEM:BA A&IS
Regulations have since August 2014 outlined the information required for risk analyses
accompanying import applications for the introduction of new species into
South Africa (note these are currently termed “risk assessments” in the regulations,
but are actually “risk analyses” as per the definitions in this chapter and in line with the
international naming standards in Fig. 20.1). The requirements include information on
the species to be imported, its taxonomy, biology and ecology, aspects linked to the
likelihood of invasion like invasion history elsewhere, and traits linked to impact
potential. This list includes several aspects that have been shown to be linked to
invasion success and impact. Furthermore, it includes specific information regarding
the planned activity in South Africa and measures proposed to manage the risks, which
can be grouped under risk management. These risk analyses are the responsibility of
applicants who wish to import new alien species, and the minimum requirements for
assessors qualifications are specified in the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations, which makes
584
S. Kumschick et al.
Several government departments administer import applications for alien species; on a
national level those are the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries (DEFF)
and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD)
mainly concerning new introductions into the country. For many other introductions of
alien species and species new to a province, provincial departments are still largely
responsible for the reviewing of import applications to introduce species from outside
the country. They generally need to adhere to provincial legislation, but the processes
followed vary significantly between provinces and taxa. Furthermore, they depend on
the expertise available in the respective departments, and no consistent frameworks are
followed to guide decision-making. In the following paragraphs, we mainly focus on the
import of new alien species.
DALRRD (through South Africa’s National Plant Protection Organisation,
NPPOZA), is mandated to prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of
alien pest or disease species on plants and plant products. DALRRD conducts
pre-border risk analysis for agricultural species imported into South Africa. These
analyses have a focus both on minimising the risks of introducing pathogens or pests
on imported species and on the risks of the species themselves becoming invasive.
The responsibility of DALRRD is to reduce risks of agriculture, but in the absence of
other processes before the promulgation of the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations (see van
Wilgen et al. 2020, Chap. 1, Box 1.1), DALRRD have issued permits for new
introductions of non-agricultural alien species as well. This has not been sufficient
to address all of the environmental risks associated with the introduction of new
species, and the minimum standards for accepting introductions has historically been
set differently for different organisms introduced for different purposes.
To address this, the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations were developed and DEFF
mandated to issue permits for alien species not yet legally present in the country (i.e.
new introductions) (Department of Environmental Affairs 2014). Every application for
the import of a species not yet present in a country needs to be accompanied by a risk
analysis according to international agreements (Box 20.1). The NEM:BA A&IS
Regulations have since August 2014 outlined the information required for risk analyses
accompanying import applications for the introduction of new species into
South Africa (note these are currently termed “risk assessments” in the regulations,
but are actually “risk analyses” as per the definitions in this chapter and in line with the
international naming standards in Fig. 20.1). The requirements include information on
the species to be imported, its taxonomy, biology and ecology, aspects linked to the
likelihood of invasion like invasion history elsewhere, and traits linked to impact
potential. This list includes several aspects that have been shown to be linked to
invasion success and impact. Furthermore, it includes specific information regarding
the planned activity in South Africa and measures proposed to manage the risks, which
can be grouped under risk management. These risk analyses are the responsibility of
applicants who wish to import new alien species, and the minimum requirements for
assessors qualifications are specified in the NEM:BA A&IS Regulations, which makes
584
S. Kumschick et al.