Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle (BSLB) Voluntary Moratorium

In response to a decision taken at a special meeting of the Board of Directors held on June 7, 2007, the New Brunswick Forest Products Association unanimously supports a voluntary one-year moratorium that provides for the prohibition and/or restriction of movement of the BSLB and associated host spruce materials including: trees, logs, wood with bark attached, wood chips or bark chips and conveyances out of infested places as described in the Nova Scotia Containment Area map set by the federal Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) under the Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle Infested Places Order – Second Revision to any New Brunswick facility.

This decision is being implemented to prevent the spread of BSLB to New Brunswick. Although the CFIA BSLB Management Plan allows for the movement of products at risk with the appropriate Movement Certificates, effective immediately we are requesting that New Brunswick mills or facilities not accept any regulated products at risk from the Nova Scotia Containment Area during the BSLB flight period (May 15th – September 30th).

Not accepting potentially infested regulated articles during the flight period is consistent with the “stakeholder developed plan” to mitigate against the risk of spread of the BSLB. The NBFPA, and the NB Department of Natural Resources were participants in the development of the Stakeholder Plan, which was submitted to the Minister of Agriculture in February 07.

This is an interm decision put in place for this season only and is based on available information which has resulted from existing surveys and research. The Board of Directors will review its decision yearly as further research is performed and more information is available from expanded surveys on the spread and effects of the BSLB.

The Board believes that under current circumstances it is most important to self regulate risk mitigation measures. We have informed the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Departments of Natural Resources, the Maritime Lumber Bureau and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency of this decision and will work cooperatively with these agencies to minimize the risk of spreading this invasive species to our region.

We have asked the CFIA to voluntarily inform the NBFPA and MLB of any application for movement certificates in order to discourage any of our members or any other facility from persuing this risky endeavour.

The Board of Directors thanks you for your cooperation on this matter and is available to discuss this issue or answer any questions you might have.

Contact: Mark Arsenault
Mark.arsenault@staging2.ibsltd.ca
506-452-6939