The year 2020 has been a challenge not only for the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) but for the entire Fijian economy and the world alike.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected one and all in a lot of ways.
Despite the many struggles and challenges, BAF managed to pull through some of its key activities and ensured Fiji’s borders remained free from the establishment and spread of any exotic pests and diseases.
As we enter another year of operations, it is vital to re-look at the laws guiding BAF and what people need to do to assist BAF in keeping our borders safe.
The Biosecurity Act 2008 is the principal legislation which concerns Fiji’s biosecurity.
BAF is mandated with the legal obligation and responsibility to safeguard Fiji against incursions of exotic pests and diseases which could devastate our agricultural industry, environment and biodiversity.
Such threats include zoonotic diseases which impact human health as they provide for the transference of diseases from animals to human beings.
The nature of diseases includes rabies, brucellosis and leptospirosis amongst others.
Many harmful plant and animal pests and diseases found elsewhere in the world are currently not present in Fiji and it is BAF’s duty to ensure that they stay out.
It is also BAF’s duty to address incursions of exotic pests and diseases to the best of its abilities with its available resources.
To perform these duties, BAF must operate within its legal mandate, the parameters for which are prescribed by law.
In this week’s article we look into how the Biosecurity Act 2008 provide for the operating framework of the organisation.
Biosecurity border control
The Biosecurity Act 2008 provides for BAF’s border control operations.
Based on the biosecurity risk assessments and scientific advice of BAF’s technical sections, regulated articles are categorised according to their risk.
High risk articles are strictly regulated, monitored, and at times prohibited from being imported or exported.
The level of biosecurity measures applied to a particular regulated article depends on its associated risk as determined through the biosecurity risk assessment and scientific reasoning of BAF’s technical sections which includes a Plant Technical section and an Animal Technical section.
BAF’s Trade Facilitation and Compliance team also assists in border control activities.
Biosecurity emergencies
In their pursuit to eradicate, contain or control the incursion of exotic pests and diseases of grave concern that are already present in Fiji BAF has the authority to declare certain areas in Fiji as a “Biosecurity Emergency Area”.
Declaring an area as a “Biosecurity Emergency Area” is a response to a Biosecurity Emergency — where there is a current incursion or suspected incursion of a regulated pest or disease into any area of the Fiji Islands, or the existence of some other biosecurity threat, which requires urgent action, whether by eradication, containment or other response.
An area can only be declared a “Biosecurity Emergency Area” for a period of 6 months at the end of which, if there is a need, the declaration of an area as a “Biosecurity Emergency Area” may be extended or renewed.
There are provisions in the Act for BAF to request relevant agencies to use their powers and resources to assist in the control or eradication of any pest or disease in the emergency area as the law recognises the need to cooperate during biosecurity emergency situations.
The general public needs to cooperate with BAF by adhering to the directions issued pursuant to the biosecurity emergency declarations as failure to adhere to the directions is an offence and will incur hefty penalties prescribed by the Act.
Biosecurity services in facilitating trade
The Act further provides BAF with the mandate to facilitate international trade of plants, animals and their products on a biosafe platform.
The Act sets out the services that BAF must provide to importers and exporters to address biosecurity concerns incidental to the trade of regulated articles.
The services vary from monitoring and surveillance, certification of biosecurity approved premises, certification of compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary measures and processing of import permits and export permits amongst other roles.
BAF is also required to cooperate with international standard setting organisations such as the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the effective control of biosecurity matters.
BAF fees and charges
In providing the services required by law, BAF incurs expenses.
To meet these expenses, BAF prescribes fees and charges for the services it provides.
These fees and charges are essential to facilitate the provision of quality services and operational efficiency.
The fees and charges for the services provided by BAF are standardised and prescribed under the Biosecurity (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2011.
The Regulations categorises the services according to their nature and for each service the associated fee or charge is specified.
Importers and exporters may easily access the fees and charges for the services they require of BAF by referring to the Regulations prior to requesting the services.
Information in this regard can be obtained from the BAF website at www. baf.com.fj
