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Hi I’m Toni Soalablai with this week’s environmental update from the Palau Conservation Society. Last week I talked about invasive species and the National Invasive species and the National Invasive Species Committee. Now I will talk about biosecurity.
Biosecurity is a set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, sick quarantined pests, no rx invasive alien species, living modified organisms. We depend on the officers from the Quarantine Office to safeguard our islands from invasive species. Invasive species are plants, animals, diseases or pathogens that might not be present in Palau or Micronesia but could be brought in unknowingly. These could happen to the islands of Kayangel, Peleliu and Angaur. All incoming passengers on air and ocean transportations must declare all belongings. This is same type of security used by Pharmaceutical companies, so products don’t get into the wrong hands. Although security is usually thought of to be responsible of the Quarantine Office, it is not. Biosecurity encompasses much more than that and requires the cooperation of everyone. Biosecurity is a responsibility that we all must carry. The Palau Conservation Society and the National Invasive Species Committee is appealing to the republic to respect Quarantine regulations from Palau and Micronesia to Protect our island biodiversity. If Palau and the Islands of Micronesia are invaded by invasive species and diseases, food security might by compromised.
Thank you for watching the outreach program for the protection of island biodiversity for Palau and Micronesia.