APHIS Establishes a Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine in Puerto Rico

FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION 
DA-2026-37 
September 28, 2026

Subject: APHIS Establishes a Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata) Quarantine in Puerto Rico 

To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture (PRDA) established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine in Old San Juan, San Juan Municipality, Puerto Rico, designated the Old San Juan quarantine.

APHIS and PRDA established the Old San Juan quarantine in response to detections on July 16 of a total of 19 male and three female Medflies from three traps in tropical almond trees in a public space in Old San Juan. The quarantine encompasses 27.29 square miles and contains no commercial agriculture.

APHIS is applying safeguarding measures and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent Medfly from spreading to other areas of the United States, as well as to prevent the entry of these fruit flies into foreign trade. This action is authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 7701–7786) in accordance with 7 CFR 301.32 through 301.32-10. APHIS is working with PRDA to eradicate the transient Medfly population following program guidelines for survey, treatment, and regulatory actions.

You can find maps and descriptions of all the current federal fruit fly quarantine areas on the APHIS Exotic Fruit Flies webpage. APHIS will also publish a notice about this change in the Federal Register. 

For more information, contact:

Catherine Marzolf 
National Policy Manager 
386-666-9932 
catherine.a.marzol@usda.gov

/s/

Matthew A. Rhoads 
Deputy Administrator 
Plant Protection and Quarantine