Aller au contenu

« Attaque de la mouche des fruits en Californie » : différence entre les versions

Un article de Wikipédia, l'encyclopédie libre.
Modification suivante →
Contenu supprimé Contenu ajouté
VisuelWikicode
Spedona (discuter | contributions)
80 691 modifications
création
(Aucune différence)

Version du 19 mai 2016 à 23:12

Modèle:Infobox terrorist attack

In 1989, a sudden invasion of medflies (Mediterranean fruit flies) descended on California and began devastating crops. Scientists were puzzled and said that the sudden appearance of the insects "defies logic", and some speculated "biological terrorists" were responsible.[1] Analysis suggested there is no doubt that an outside hand played a role in the dense infestation.[2][3][4]

A person or group calling itself "The Breeders" took responsibility for the attack, as financial retaliation for the environmental damage caused by the state's Malathion aerial spraying; the group's members were never identified. Subsequently, three months after "The Breeders" announced the medfly release, the state ended its decade-long Malathion program and sought alternate ways to handle destructive insects.

Contexte

Agricultural orchard in California.

La Californie est le cinquième producteur mondial de produits alimentaires et agricoles[5]. Selon le California Department of Food and Agriculture, « l'agriculture californienne est une activité de près de 36,6 milliards de dollars, qui génère en outre 100 milliards de dollars dans des secteurs économiques connexes »[6]. The state’s agricultural sales first exceeded $30 billion in 2004,[7]. Depuis 1975, California had seen small annual infestations of the medfly, typically ascribing their appearance to the casual shipping of fruit, and visits, between relatives and friends in Californie et Hawaï[8]

Medflies breed rapidly and eat fruit with a voracious appetite.[9] Notably, they represent a risk to 22 crops in California, including apples, apricots, avocados, bell peppers, cherries, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, kiwis, limes, mandarin oranges, nectarines, olives, oranges, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, prunes and tomatoes.[10]

Medfly infestations are not without precedent, both in California and elsewhere in North America. Between 1975 and 1993 the state of California spent more than $170 million on medfly eradication programs meant to contain 12 different infestations.[11] In 1996 the state began utilizing sterile medflies in its eradication program and between 1996 and 2007 the state experienced five infestations.[12] A major 1981 medfly infestation cost California $40 million by itself.[11] The 1981 infestation turned into a political crisis and led to the beginning of the state's aerial spraying program in July of that year.[13][14] Medflies were found in traps as late as 2007 in Solano County, California.[12] The first medflies in Florida turned up in 1929 and they have been a constant threat to the citrus crop there ever since.[15] Medfly sightings occurred in Florida in 1997 and 2010.[15][16]

Attaque

Nouveau modèle de piège à mouches des fruits utilisant trois attractifs chimiques au lieu d'un.

À partir de 1975, quand la mouche méditerranéenne des fruits a été signalée pour la première fois dans la région, la Californie a mis en place de petits pièges McPhail pour attirer et capturer les mouches pour aider à en évaluer la population. En 1989, on a capturé autant de mouches qu'au cours des quinze années précédentes[8]. Les plus grandes concentrations de mouches des fruits ont été trouvées dans le comté d'Orange et dans un triangle reliant le bord oriental du bassin de Los Angeles à San Bernardino et au comté de Riverside[8].

Le 8 décembre 1989, l'État revint sur sa position, selon laquelle les 12 foyers avérés depuis août n'étaient que des « infestations isolées » qui pouvaient être facilement éradiquées, après qu'un panel de conseillers scientifiques aient suggéré que cela n'était pas possible[17]. On décida qu'au lieu d'une à deux applications aériennes des zones infectées, plus d'une douzaine de pulvérisations seraient nécessaires sur une période de plusieurs mois[18]. En outre, le malathion n'était plus utilisé seul, mais mélangé dans un rapport de 4 à 1 avec des appâts de Nu-Lure pour attirer les insectes de la zone[19].

La période d'infestation s'étira de juillet 1989 à novembre 1990[20]. Depuis la découverte des mouches en Californie, la lutte a coûté en moyenne 26 millions de dollars chaque année, mais l'attaque de 1989 a entraîné une dépense de 60 millions de dollars en efforts d'éradication, ce qui fait de 1989, la deuxième année la plus chère dans le programme d'éradication engagé par l'État[21],[22],[23]. On ne sait pas si les 60 millions de dollars représentent le coût total, ou seulement la moitié à la charge de la Californie d'un éventuel coût global de 120 millions de dollars, dont l'autre moitié a été supportée par le Département fédéral de l'Agriculture[23].

Revendication de responsabilité

Modèle:Rquote In December 1989, a two-page letter addressing Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley was sent to the Los Angeles Times and Fresno Bee ostensibly from an "ecoterrorist organization" calling itself "The Breeders".[24][25] The Breeders claimed that it was responsible for the summer release of the medflies as retaliation for the environmental damage caused by the Malathion aerial spraying by the state.[26][27] It also threatened to expand its medfly infestation into the San Joaquin Valley.[28] The letters claimed that officials would have noticed an uptick in medfly numbers around March 1989.[29] The group promised to make the aerial spraying program politically and financially impossible through the coordinated release of thousands of medflies. As early as December 1989 the group's claim was taken seriously.[29] Initially, the letter was dismissed as "some crank trying to get a lot of publicity",[30] but there was evidence the group played a role in the infestation.[31] Certain characteristics of the 1989 medfly infestation led investigators to the conclusion that someone was responsible for deliberately releasing medflies.[32] The dense medfly population coupled with the low number of medfly larvae found in the infested areas left entomologists baffled as to how the infestation could be completely natural.[2][3][33] The writer of the letter, and any members of the alleged group, were never identified.[26]

Response

The FBI became involved in the investigation and the letters were turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department's Criminal Conspiracy Section.[29] During the course of the investigation, the United States Department of Agriculture attempted to contact The Breeders through a classified ad placed in the Los Angeles Times.[29] The ad stated: "Breeders if you're for real send one of your little friends. We want to talk. Call John at USDA."[29]

In response to the threat, California State Senator Ruben S. Ayala introduced the bill SB1754 in the Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee to make it a felony for any person to import Mediterranean fruit flies into the state,[34] rather than the misdemeanor it already was. The bill included prison sentences ranging from 16 months to three years, and a fines up to $10,000.[35] Senator Ayala's proposal became law June 22, 1990 and added Section 6306 to the Food and Agriculture Code.[36]

In the year following the attack, there were seizures of postal shipments which sought to intercept medfly larvae. In addition, 61,731 passengers and 2,430 cargo shipments were searched entering through airports, but no larvae were discovered.[8] There were five "intensive searches" of cargo and baggage as it arrived at Los Angeles Airport and San Francisco Airport that tested positive for medfly larvae.[8] Modèle:Rquote After its repeated sprayings failed to eradicate the medfly threat, California halted its Malathion aerial spraying program in March 1990, three months after the threat from The Breeders was received. The state instead opted to try the voluntary introduction of millions of radiation-sterilized medflies to interrupt the reproductive cycle and control the population.[37]

Later, South Dakota reported that a similar attack with a corn or soybean pest could devastate their agriculture industry.[38] In May 2001, Mark Urlaub, the Department of Agriculture's biosecurity program director, announced that investigators were "taking another look at" the 1989 attack.[39]

Notes et références

  1. ↑ Johnson, John. "Invasion by Medfly Defies Logic, Scientists Say Infestation: Experts discover peculiar patterns in the spread of the stubborn fruit fly", Los Angeles Times, December 30, 1989, accessed February 21, 2012.
  2. ↑ a et b Howard, Russell D. et al. Homeland Security and Terrorism: Readings and Interpretations, (Google Books), McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006, p. 49, (ISBN 0071452826).
  3. ↑ a et b Los Angeles Times, "Peculiar Things Happening in Southern California Medfly Infestation", Orlando Sentinel, January 6, 1990, accessed February 21, 2012.
  4. ↑ Pratt, Robert J. "Invasive Species - A Threat to the Homeland?", USAWC Strategy Research Project, U.S. Army War College, April 7, 2003, accessed February 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ (en) « California Agricultural Resource Directory 2006 » [PDF], California Department of Food and Agriculture, (consulté le ).
  6. ↑ (en) « CDFA History », California Department of Food and Agriculture (consulté le ).
  7. ↑ (en) « Agricultural Statistical Review, 2006 Overview » [PDF], California Department of Food and Agriculture (consulté le ), p. 17.
  8. ↑ a b c d et e Carey, James R. "The Incipient Mediterranean Fruit Fly Population in California: Implications for Invasion Biology", Ecology, Vol. 77, Issue 6, September 1996, pp. 1690-97, accessed February 21, 2012.
  9. ↑ Root-Bernstein, Robert S. "Infectious Terrorism", The Atlantic, May 1991, accessed February 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ Siebert, Jerome B. and Cooper, Todd. "f medfly infestation triggered a trade ban: Embargo on California produce would cause revenue, job loss", California Agriculture, 49(4):7-12, DOI 10.3733/ca.v049n04p7, July–August 1995, accessed February 21, 2012.
  11. ↑ a et b Wheeler, Mark. "Fly Wars", Discovery Magazine, February 1993, accessed February 19, 2012.
  12. ↑ a et b Lagos, Marisa. "Medfly sightings in Solano County spur quick action to kill pest", San Francisco Chronicle, September 14, 2007, accessed February 19, 2012.
  13. ↑ Anderson, Ian. "Medfly fighters win their battle the hard way", (Google Books link), New Scientist, Vol. 95, No. 1324, p. 815, ISSN 0262-4079.
  14. ↑ Brazil, Eric. "The political stakes in the Medfly infestation", California Journal, April 1981, pp. 137-39.
  15. ↑ a et b Badie, Rick. "Medfly Scare Yet Another Challenge For Citrus Industry, Very Much Alive In Lake", Orlando Sentinel, July 13, 1997, accessed February 19, 2012.
  16. ↑ Nolin, Robert. "Medflies found in Boca Raton", Sun-Sentinel, June 15, 2010, accessed February 19, 2012.
  17. ↑ (en) Chavez, Stephanie et Simon, Richard, « State Launches New Offensive Against Medfly », sur Los Angeles Times, (consulté le ).
  18. ↑ (en) Chavez, Stephanie et Simon, Richard, « Months-Long Spraying of Medfly Is Ordered Infestation: Officials admit underestimating the outbreak. Meantime, the malathion opposition grows », sur Los Angeles Times, (consulté le ).
  19. ↑ (en) Leyva, J., « Removal of Malathion Residues from Lettuce for Medfly Eradication Projects (Memorandum) », sur California Department of Pesticide Regulation, (consulté le ).
  20. ↑ (en) James R. Carey, « The Mediterranean fruit fly in California: taking stock », UC Davis publication information California Agriculture, vol. 46, no 1,‎ , p. 12-17 (DOI 10.3733/ca.v046n01p12).
  21. ↑ (en) Sheppard, W.S., Steck, G.J. et McPheron, B.A., « Geographic populations of the medfly may be differentiated by mitochondrial DNA variation », Cellular and Moelcular Life Sciences, vol. 48, no 10, {{Article}} : paramètre « date » manquant, p. 1010-1013 (DOI 10.1007/BF01919155, résumé).
  22. ↑ (en) « Palo Alto Pests: The 1981 Medfly Invasion », sur paloaltohistory.com (consulté le ).
  23. ↑ a et b Editors. "Medfly problem simmers", (archived version), California Agriculture, 49(4):4-6., DOI 10.3733/ca.v049n04p4, July–August 1995, accessed February 23, 2012.
  24. ↑ Erreur de référence : Balise <ref> incorrecte : aucun texte n’a été fourni pour les références nommées chavez3
  25. ↑ "Medfly letter puts blame on mystery group, San Jose Mercury News, December 5, 1989.
  26. ↑ a et b Drogin, Bob. "High school mixes algebra, homeland security", Los Angeles Times, June 10, 2009, accessed February 21, 2012.
  27. ↑ Bonfante, Jordan. "Medfly Madness", Time Magazine, January 8, 1990, accessed December 25, 2008.
  28. ↑ Fresno Bee, "Medfly threat prompts new bill Ayala proposes law after group vows to unleash flies]", (login required), Fresno Bee, January 18, 1990, accessed February, 23, 2012.
  29. ↑ a b c d et e Carus, Seth - Counterproliferation Research, National Defense University, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: The Illicit Use of biological Agents Since 1900, (Google Books link), The Minerva Group, Inc., 2002, p. 173, (ISBN 1410100235).
  30. ↑ Published on December 2, 1989, Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR MEDFLY WOES
  31. ↑ Baker, Eric. "'Maggot bombs' and malaria", Casper Star-Tribune, via the Laramie Boomerang, February 27, 2006, accessed December 25, 2008.
  32. ↑ Howitt, Arnold M. and Pangi, Robyn L. Countering Terrorism: Dimensions of Preparedness, (Google Books link), MIT Press, 2003, pp. 202-03, (ISBN 0262582392).
  33. ↑ "Chronology of CBW Incidents Targeting Agriculture 1915-2008", James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Middlebury College, March 2009, accessed February 19, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Panel OKS Bill Making Medfly Import Felony", (login required), Fresno Bee, March 7, 1990, accessed February 23, 2012.
  35. ↑ "3 Pest Bills Pass AG Committee", (login required), Fresno Bee, May 15, 1990, accessed February 23, 2012.
  36. ↑ (en) John Burton, New Statutes Affecting the Criminal Law; 1990 General and Extraordinary Sessions of the California State Legislature, Sacramento, Report of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety, , 11 p. (lire en ligne) :

    « This bill makes it a felony punishable by 16 months, two or three years in state prison and/or a fine up to $10,000 for any person to willfully and knowingly import into the state, or willfully and knowingly transport or ship a Mediterranean fruit fly within this state. This act is an urgency measure which became effective June 22, 1990. »
  37. ↑ Dunn, Ashley. "State Gambles That Sterile Flies Can Do the Job: Medfly: Agriculture officials are about to attempt a tactical shift in the battle, replacing the aerial spraying of malathion", Los Angeles Times, May 16, 1990, accessed February 23, 2012.
  38. ↑ The threat of agri terrorism South Dakota Department of Agriculture
  39. ↑ Caruba, Alan. "A New Terrorism Comes of Age", Conservative Monitor, May 2001, accessed February 23, 2012.

Voir aussi

Articles connexes

Liens externes


Ce document provient de « https://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attaque_de_la_mouche_des_fruits_en_Californie&oldid=126325275 ».