Releasing biocontrol agents: Risk assessment and overdue reform

Bob Peterson; Sharlene E. Sing

Treesearch

Releasing biocontrol agents: Risk assessment and overdue reform

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Bob Peterson, Sharlene E. Sing

Year:

2007

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

IOBC-NRS Newsletter. 23(2): 1, 3.

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Abstract

Although the need for universally instituting formal risk assessment (RA) in the screening and approval process for non-native biological control (BC) agent releases has been widely acknowledged for the past several years, little seems to have been accomplished in terms of codifying this practice within a regulatory framework. Given the low success rate of classical BC and the documented environmental risks associated with previous releases, adopting standardized assessments of BC risks and benefits should not be further delayed.

Keywords

risk assessment (RA), non-native biological control (BC)

Citation

Peterson, Bob; Sing, Sharlene. 2007. Releasing biocontrol agents: Risk assessment and overdue reform. IOBC-NRS Newsletter. 23(2): 1, 3.