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The Importation of Certified European Honeybees to Canada

4.0 Environmental Review for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees

4.0 Environmental Review for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees

4.1 Introduction

The following section provides background on the environmental conditions for importing European honeybees. Next, is a discussion of the potential environmental effects and a discussion on the significance of the effects. Finally, discussions are provided on residual effects, malfunctions and accidents, cumulative environmental effects and follow-up and monitoring.

4.2 Environmental Conditions

History

The true honeybee is not native to the Americas. In the early part of the 16th century, European settlers introduced the first honeybees colonies to North America. Over the years, honeybees escaped into the wild and had become well established throughout the continent by the late 19th century. Eventually, honeybees came to be regarded as a natural part of the insect world of North America.

Species

The first type of honeybees introduced into Canada was a gentle subspecies of the Apis mellifera which means honey carrier. Apis mellifera is commonly found today in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas. There are 24 subspecies of Apis mellifera are recognized. The various races exhibit morphological behavioral and physiological differences in characteristics, such as body colour, body size, aggressiveness and foraging range. All the subspecies of Apis mellifera can mate within the races.

Our familiar garden variety honeybee is a mixture of European races, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages for the bee keeping industry. The two most common European honeybees are the Italian Bees (Apis mellifera ligustica) which are the most popular among commercial beekeepers. The Caucasian bees (Apis mellifera caucasica) are docile.

As discussed in Section 3.2, Canada currently imports only European species of honeybees from New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii as their honeybees have been proven to be disease-free and there are no Africanized honeybees found in these countries.

4.3 Environmental Effects and Mitigation

The development of this model class screening report included a detailed review of literature on the species Apis mellifera and apiculture, advice from experts and apiarists, and a review of a Canadian Risk Assessment on importing honeybees from the United States. Based on the information obtained through these efforts, it was concluded that there are only three potential environmental effects to take into consideration when importing certified European honeybees into Canada. The three potential effects are (1) impacts on native bee populations, (2) increase in disease through varroa mite infestations, and (3) a potential negative effect on human health and safety.

4.3.1 Effects on Native Bee Populations

Studies over the years have indicated that the introduction of European honeybees may at one time have had an effect on the native bee populations. Many of the most serious impacts of honeybee colonists on native bees and plants occurred during the first 50 years following their introduction into North America in the 16 th century. It has been predicted that there was a "scramble competition" by honeybees, or in other words, the disruption of many plant/pollinator relationships by a single dominant exotic. To date, there are very few " pristine" environments free of honeybees in the world. All of the provinces and territories in Canada have been exposed to the European species of honeybees and Canadian honeybee populations have become, as noted earlier, a mixture of European races. The importation of European honeybees into Canada are thus not considered a threat to native bee populations any longer as the damage was done years ago.

Africanized honeybees, on the other hand, are an aggressive species that can overwhelm existing colonies and populations with a resultant negative environmental impact on native populations and on the apiculture industry. Consequently, Canada does not allow the importation of Africanized honeybees.

Current effects on native bee populations are blamed on present-day practices with pesticides, and the removal of bee habitat through development or human intervention on flower species (i.e., removal of "weed" plants). Such actions have resulted in decreased native bee populations over the years.

4.3.2 Increase in Disease through Varroa Mite Infestations

As noted in Section 3.2, the Varroa mite is a parasite that can infest and destroy entire honeybee colonies. The importation of European honeybees from countries other than New Zealand, Australia, and the State of Hawaii have in the past resulted in varroa mite infestations. To help control and limit (i.e., mitigate) the spread of this parasite, the Canadian government has put in place strict importation protocols and requirements for the import of honeybees. Another mitigative measure is that all bees being imported into Canada undergo mandatory inspections at the Canadian border (see discussion in Section 3.2) to ensure that mites are not brought into the country. Current importation practices for European honeybees serve to control the spread of disease.

As mentioned in Section 3.2, there is currently a mite infestation problem in many parts of Canada. Varroa has been found in most provinces and only certain sections are mite free. For example, Saskatchewan is virtually mite free, as is Northern Manitoba, parts of Alberta, and areas northwest of Prince George, British Columbia. Currently each province, as a form of mitigation, is implementing their own disease control policies to try and control the mites. Some of the provinces have legislation to control the spread of disease. Much research and literature is also available to beekeepers to help them in the control of the mites in the hives. However, many scientists predict that if the current populations of mites continue infesting Canadian bee colonies and cannot be controlled, the issue of importing mite-free honeybees may well become a non-issue. If Canada is infested, the strict protocols may not be necessary.

4.3.3 Human Health and Safety

With the introduction of new bee populations into a new habitat there is sometimes the fear that the bees could pose a threat to public health and safety. The species of European honeybees being imported from New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii, are a gentle species of Apis mellifera. These species have been safely imported into Canada for years and have been a minimal danger to nearby human populations. Swarming is not an issue since, as mentioned earlier, European honeybees are a gentle species of Apis mellifera and are not nearly as aggressive as the Africanized bees, nor are they deadly to humans.

Honeybees actually serve to improve human health. For example, one third of North American food production is the direct result of pollination by insects, including honeybees. Honeybees also produce valuable non-food products that are beneficial to human health (see Section 3.1). Consequently, honeybees will remain an important part of the Canadian environment and play a role in maintaining food supplies for human health.

4.3.4 Concluding Comments

As discussed above, there are minimal if any environmental effects that will take place with the importation of certified European honeybees from the countries of New Zealand, Australia, and the State of Hawaii. The strict permit process and the presence of the Import Requirements serve as mitigative measures that ensure that the bees being imported are free from disease and are not the Africanized species. In conclusion, the environmental effects are not deemed significant.

4.4 Residual Effects

With the presence of orchards, honeybees help in the pollination of fruit trees and other plants (see section 3.1). Therefore, the introduction of honeybees to the environment could result in environmental as well as economic benefits. Honeybees have been studied for years and subject to extensive scientific work that have shown that no significant residual impacts result from the importation of European honeybees provided that certain importation criteria are met.

4.5 Malfunctions and Accidents

During importation there is no risk to Canada as the host country is responsible for the bees. Once the honeybees arrive in Canada there is the remote chance that they could escape before the bees are delivered to their respective destinations. However, this is not an issue as the bees are disease free and were permitted for import into Canada versus import to a specific region in a Province. Many of the provinces have strict transportation policies in place for the movement of bees which could serve as mitigation by lessening the chances of escape incidents.

4.6 Cumulative Environmental Effects

Cumulative effects assessment should take into account that although individual importation projects that do not result in significant environmental effects, in combination with other projects they may have adverse cumulative effects. However, it is reasonable to assume that because there are no predicted significant adverse environmental effects (see section 4.3), that there are beneficial residual effects (see section 4.4), that native bee populations have already been affected, and, that the number of imported bees is proportionately low in comparison to Canada's large area of land mass, that there are no adverse cumulative environmental effects are likely to occur as a result of the import of certified European honeybees. On the other hand, allowing Africanized or other unacceptable species of honeybees into the Canadian environment would likely result in potentially adverse direct and cumulative environmental effects.

4.7 Follow-up and Monitoring

Based on the information presented in the preceding sections, the importation of honey bees into Canada has little, if any adverse environmental effects provided that the imports consist of Certified European honeybees as specified by the Importation Protocols. The monitoring of environmental affects is not considered to be warranted. Further, each province has policies and, in some cases, legislation in place for the maintenance of hives, the transportation of bees, the management and control of disease, and the inspection of individual bee colonies. All of these policies and procedures can facilitate follow up monitoring through cooperation with the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) and/or with the Canadian Honey Council.

It is important to note that CFIA takes all possible measures to assure that imported honey bees are disease free. Furthermore, the information gathered from the import protocal ( Appendix ) can be used for follow up monitoring.

4.8 Class Screening Criteria

The foregoing assessment of the potential environmental implications of importing European honeybees into Canada has revealed that the existing importation protocols and procedures and the certification requirements have the effect of minimizing potential adverse environmental affects that could arise from honeybee importation practices. The following environmental screening criteria are based on the importation protocols and are to be used in the environmental assessment of specific import applications. The screening criteria require that:

  • Imported honeybees be from New Zealand or Australia;
  • Only certified, European honeybees are acceptable.

These criteria have been incorporated in the CSPR form (refer to Section 5.0, Figure 2).