Professor Julia Horrocks recently co-authored a letter, published in the journal Science. This letter highlights the biosecurity concerns associated with the provision of humanitarian aid during natural disasters such as the recent eruption of La Soufrière volcano on the island of St. Vincent.

La Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent began erupting on 9th April 2021. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate, and water and food supplies were under threat. The Caribbean is a region accustomed to major hurricanes, and neighbouring countries, institutions and organizations, including the University of the West Indies, quickly mobilized relief efforts to meet the urgent needs of the Vincentian population.

The purpose of the Letter to Science was to draw attention to the need to manage biosecurity risks that are associated with humanitarian aid, especially for the small, fragile and unique ecosystems of the insular Caribbean. The unintentional introduction of invasive alien species (IAS) in aid shipments can potentially pose long-term threats, through the arrival of disease vectors, agricultural pests and species that threaten the existence of endemic species. One of the co-authors on the Letter, Jeanelle Brisbane, has firsthand experience of trying to remove the Cuban tree frog for instance. This amphibian was imported to Dominica with humanitarian aid after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Not only does this species have toxic mucous making it poisonous to potential predators, but it consumes any animal that it can fit into its mouth, including Dominica’s endemic reptiles, frogs, and beetles. Efforts to eradicate this unwelcome species have already cost Dominica hundreds of thousands of EC dollars. IAS can negatively impact agricultural, health and tourism sectors for years to come, because control is not only expensive, but it is often unsuccessful. Biosecurity e.g. screening for alien species at ports of entry, is just as important after disasters as it is during normal times, but capacity is likely to be greatly reduced or even non-existent in countries ravaged by catastrophic events.  

The Letter proposes that governments and others who are responding to disasters must therefore play a greater role in mitigating potential risks associated with aid relief. It emphasizes the need for scientists and policy-makers in the region to put processes in place that will ensure that biosecurity is maintained in devastated countries; recognizing that the type and location of the disaster may require different strategies. With the prediction of more severe weather events associated with climate change, the need to establish these measures now is important.

The article can be accessed here.