Accessing biological control genetic resources: the United States perspective

Authors: Hoelmer, Kim; SFORZA, RENE - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); CRISTOFARO, MASSIMO - Enea Casaccia Research Center

Submitted to: BioControl
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2023
Publication Date: 2/1/2023
Citation: Hoelmer, K.A., Sforza, R., Cristofaro, M. 2023. Accessing biological control genetic resources: the United States perspective. BioControl. 68: 269–280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-023-10179-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-023-10179-5

Interpretive Summary: Since the cottony cushion scale biological control program in 1888, the U.S. has been actively involved in classical biological control projects against invasive insect pests. Classical biological control relies upon predators and parasitoids naturally associated with a pest at its origin to provide long-term, self-sustaining pest management where the pest has become invasive. Biological control agents are a form of genetic resources, thus they fall under the purview of the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Nagoya Protocol (NP), ratified in 2014, which addresses equitable sharing of benefits of genetic resources. Under the Nagoya Protocol, countries are expected to develop processes governing access to their genetic resources to ensure that the benefits are shared equitably. Although the United States neither ratified the CBD nor signed the Nagoya Protocol, U.S. biological control programs are affected by these international agreements. Surveying, collecting, exporting and importing of natural enemies are covered by new regulatory processes erected under ABS. Biological control researchers and practitioners in the U.S. are encouraged to observe Best Practices developed by the biological community for insect and weed biological control, such as the International Code of Best Practices for Classical Biological Control of Weeds and the International Organization of Biological Control.

Technical Abstract: Since the cottony cushion scale program introduced the modern concept of biological pest control to the United States in 1888, the U.S. has been actively involved in classical biological control projects against invasive insect pests. Classical (importation) biological control relies upon predators and parasitoids naturally associated with a pest at its origin to also provide long-term, self-sustaining pest management where the pest has become invasive. Because biological control agents are a form of genetic resources, they fall under the purview of the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an important aspect of which addresses the equitable sharing of benefits of genetic resources (the Nagoya Protocol (NP), ratified in 2014). Safe and effective classical biological control agents have frequently been freely shared among countries experiencing the same problems with invasive species. However, a feature of the Nagoya Protocol is that countries are expected to develop clear processes governing access to their genetic resources to ensure that the benefits are shared equitably. Although the United States neither ratified the CBD nor signed the Nagoya Protocol, U.S. biological control programs are affected by these international agreements. Surveying, collecting, exporting and importing of natural enemies are covered by new regulatory processes erected under ABS. The complexity of ABS has grown as the various signatory countries enact (or fail to enact) new regulations in response to the NP. Absent an overarching national U.S. policy, some individual government agencies and institutions have developed their own internal procedures. Biological control researchers and practitioners in the U.S. have been encouraged in recent years to observe Best Practices developed by the biological community for insect and weed biological control, such as the International Code of Best Practices for Classical Biological Control of Weeds and the International Organization of Biological Control.