Lissachatina fulica, formally Achatina fulica (Giant African Snail): APHIS Removes Zone AA from the List of Regulated Areas
Effective December 8, 2020, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) removed giant African land snail (GAS) regulated area, Zone AA, from the list of quarantine areas in Miami-Dade County, Florida. APHIS and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) collaborated to develop the protocol for removing areas from quarantine. Under the protocol, APHIS and FDACS require an area/zone to meet the following criteria to remove it from quarantine:
- Surveillance and treatment efforts for 17 months with no detection of live GAS;
- An additional 19 months of surveillance with no detection of live GAS;
- A minimum of one negative detector dog survey; and
- A minimum of one negative night survey, when snails can be more active.
APHIS determined that Zone AA meets the criteria for removal from quarantine.
APHIS and FDACS continue to evaluate the remaining GAS-infested areas to determine whether they meet the protocol criteria. The revised map and descriptions of the areas regulated for GAS are posted on the APHIS website at:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-health/gas-quarantine
Under IPPC standards, Lissachatina fulica is considered to be a pest that is transient, actionable, and under eradication in the United States.