Cook Islands National Invasive Species Strategy And Action Plan 2019 - 2025 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD ....................................................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. 5 KEY CONCEPTS AND ACRONYMS ............................................................................................... 7 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 9 Introduction to Cook Islands ............................................................................................................ 9 What is an invasive species (IS)? ................................................................................................... 11 The vital importance of invasive species to Cook Islands ............................................................. 12 Other significant invasive species in the Cook Islands .................................................................. 14 Priority invasive species on different islands ................................................................................. 16 Invasive species intercepted at the Border ..................................................................................... 16 Recent occurrences of new invasive species in the Cook Islands .................................................. 18 Invasive species are everyone‟s responsibility .............................................................................. 21 Inter-island biosecurity .................................................................................................................. 22 International responsibilities .......................................................................................................... 22 Cook Island‟s native biodiversity at risk ........................................................................................ 22 Cook Island‟s productive sectors at risk ........................................................................................ 23 Why a NISSAP is needed .............................................................................................................. 24 Process of NISSAP development ................................................................................................... 26 Linkages of the NISSAP to other strategies................................................................................... 26 Invasive species in corporate plans ................................................................................................ 31 2. GUIDING PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................................... 32 3. GOAL, MISSION & THEMES ................................................................................................. 33 Goal: ............................................................................................................................................... 34 Mission: .......................................................................................................................................... 34 Themes: .......................................................................................................................................... 34 4. PATHWAY ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 35 4.1 International......................................................................................................................... 35 By Air ......................................................................................................................................... 35 By Sea ........................................................................................................................................ 36 Other External Pathways ............................................................................................................ 37 4.2 Internal Pathways ................................................................................................................ 38 By Air ......................................................................................................................................... 38 By Sea ........................................................................................................................................ 38 5. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................... 39 5.1 National ............................................................................................................................... 39 2 5.2 Regional............................................................................................................................... 44 6.0 PAST & CURRENT PROGRAMMES .................................................................................. 44 GEF-PAS Regional Invasive Project – Prevention, control and management of invasive alien species in the Pacific Islands .......................................................................................................... 44 Border Control & Quarantine ........................................................................................................ 44 Internal (inter-island) Border Control ............................................................................................ 45 Emergency Response ..................................................................................................................... 46 Eradication of Pest Vertebrates ...................................................................................................... 46 Control of Pest Vertebrates ............................................................................................................ 47 Control of Pest Invertebrates .......................................................................................................... 47 Control of Pest Plants ..................................................................................................................... 48 Management of Marine Invasives .................................................................................................. 50 Education and Awareness .............................................................................................................. 51 7.0 LEGISLATION & INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ................................................... 53 7.1 National Legislation ................................................................................................................. 53 7.2 Island Specific Regulations:..................................................................................................... 54 7.3 International Conventions & Agreements ............................................................................... 55 8.0 ACTION PLAN ...................................................................................................................... 57 A1.Generating Support ............................................................................................................. 57 A2. Building Capacity ................................................................................................................ 58 A3. Legislation, Policy and Protocols ....................................................................................... 59 B1. Baseline and Monitoring .................................................................................................... 60 B2. Prioritisation ....................................................................................................................... 61 B3. Research on priorities ......................................................................................................... 61 C1. Biosecurity ........................................................................................................................... 62 C2. Management of established invasive species ..................................................................... 64 C3. Restoration .......................................................................................................................... 65 9.0 MONITORING & EVALUATION ........................................................................................ 67 References ...................................................................................................................................... 69 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 71 Annex 1: Regional and international organisations and databases related to invasive species management. .................................................................................................................................. 72 Annex 2: Priority invasive species of Cook Islands ...................................................................... 74 Annex 3: Pa Enua detailed information by island .......................................................................... 76 Annex 4: Attendees at NISSAP development workshops ............................................................. 87 3 FOREWORD 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan (NISSAP) was developed during