US Virgin Islands, St Croix: Islandwide Mediterranean Fruit Fly Quarantine

The US Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDA) has declared a phytosanitary emergency and placed the entire island of St. Croix under quarantine following detections of male and female Mediterranean fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata), commonly called Medflies.

The quarantine applies to agricultural products. No closure of St. Croix ports or restriction on vessel movements has been announced. Visiting yachts should nevertheless expect increased agricultural surveillance and must not transport regulated produce or plants away from St. Croix.

What has been announced

• Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and Medfly host plants must not be moved off St. Croix while the quarantine remains in force.
• Medflies have reportedly been detected through the surveillance program since March 2026, at locations extending from the Tamarind Reef area in eastern St. Croix to the Princess area in the central part of the island.
• The discovery of male and female flies in multiple areas prompted an islandwide response rather than a small localized quarantine.
• VIDA and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will place additional traps and intensify inspections to determine the extent of the outbreak.
• VIDA is coordinating with USDA APHIS, the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
• VIDA has asked USDA APHIS to activate an Incident Command System to coordinate the response.

The quarantine remains in effect until further notice. No ending date has been announced.

Advice for Yachts

Cruisers visiting or departing St. Croix should:

1. Not take locally obtained fresh fruit, vegetables, potted host plants or plant cuttings away from St. Croix. This includes produce purchased from supermarkets, markets, roadside vendors or growers.
2. Provision conservatively. Purchase only the local fresh produce that will be used while remaining at St. Croix. Do not depart with it aboard unless agricultural authorities have specifically cleared the item.
3. Not transfer local produce to another vessel or carry it to another island.
4. Not throw suspect produce overboard. Fruit containing viable larvae could spread the pest to another location.
5. Declare agricultural products when required. Travelers arriving from international destinations must declare agricultural items to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
6. Cooperate with agricultural inspectors and trapping teams. If there is uncertainty about an item, ask VIDA or CBP before departure.

The restrictions are intended to prevent the Medfly from being carried to St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands or other Caribbean destinations.

Information may change as USDA and Virgin Islands authorities determine the extent of the outbreak. Cruisers should check the latest official instructions before provisioning or departing St. Croix.

Why the Medfly is Serious

The Medfly is one of the world’s most damaging agricultural pests. Female flies deposit eggs beneath the skin of host fruit. The larvae feed inside the fruit, causing premature decay and fruit drop.

VIDA reports that the pest can attack more than 250 types of fruit and vegetables. Potential hosts grown or sold on St. Croix include mango, guava, avocado, soursop, sugar apple, breadfruit, genip, papaya, carambola, citrus, banana, watermelon, peppers and tomatoes.

An established Medfly population could harm local food production, home gardens, farmers and agricultural trade.

Current Eradication Status

As of September 26, officials have publicly confirmed expanded trapping, intensified inspections, interagency coordination and a request for activation of an Incident Command System.

USDA’s standard Medfly response can include bait treatments and the release of sterile male flies, known as the Sterile Insect Technique.

No public announcement reviewed for this report confirms that sterile flies are currently being released on St. Croix. Sterile-male releases should therefore be described as a possible later eradication measure—not as a confirmed current action.

Contacts:

Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, St. Croix
Telephone: +1 340 778 0997
Email: info.doa@doa.vi.gov

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, St. Croix
Telephone: +1 340 778 1696

Sources and Further Information

• Noonsite’s USVI Biosecurity
• Virgin Islands Consortium — St. Croix Placed Under Islandwide Quarantine After Mediterranean Fruit Fly Detected:
• USDA APHIS — Mediterranean Fruit Fly
• Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture

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Noonsite thanks Joan Conover of the Seven Seas Cruising Information for providing this information.

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