Inspections for regulated aquatic plants in the Netherlands
Inspectors from NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) have recently visited production facilities and traders of aquatic plants in the Netherlands to follow-up on a request by the Spanish authorities concerning on-line availability of invasive alien species regulated under the EU regulation 1143/2014. The focus of these dedicated inspections was the suspected trade of Salvinia molesta (Salviniaceae: EPPO A2 List), a regulated species of Union concern that is not traded in the Netherlands under its proper name (see EPPO RS 2023/052). The findings of the inspections were quite variable. At some localities plants were no longer available and could not be inspected, some had incorrect labelling but were selling S. minima (which is permitted) and others had incorrect labelling and were selling S. molesta (which is not permitted). Upon the request of the Dutch NPPO, catalogues of plants displayed on commercial websites have been corrected and S. molesta plants have been withdrawn from sale. Available stock of S. molesta in production facilities has been destroyed, including one production facility where 500 000 plants were destroyed.
Sources
Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (2023-02-10) NVWA has half a million aquatic plants destroyed (in Dutch). See link here