Biosecurity: What to know before you pack for Tahiti
The Islands of Tahiti are home to exceptional biodiversity, long protected by the geographic isolation of French Polynesia. As a result, the territory is still free of many diseases and pests found elsewhere in the world: viruses, bacteria, mites, insect pests and parasites.
This richness remains fragile. A piece of fruit, a plant, a few seeds or a food product carried in your luggage can be enough to introduce a disease and endanger a species or an entire agricultural sector. Once established, a pest is generally very difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate. Protecting The Islands of Tahiti starts before you even pack your bag, because the risks come with the movement of people and goods.
Before you leave: what can you bring?
The simplest rule: if you are carrying any product of animal or plant origin, or any food, plant, seeds or natural product that you're not sure is allowed, check the rules before you travel and declare it on arrival.
Some products that seem perfectly harmless can pose a serious health risk. This is the case for:
- fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, seedlings and mushrooms, which can carry viruses, parasites or pests;
- artisanal foie gras and some poultry products, particularly because of the risk of avian influenza;
- certain farmhouse raw-milk cheeses, subject to health restrictions because of bovine diseases;
- cured meats and pork products from areas affected by swine diseases: ham, chorizo, dry sausage, mortadella, salami...;
- seafood, which can pose a risk to shrimp farms and pearl oysters;
- honey and hive products (royal jelly, pollen, propolis, wax...), to protect Polynesian bees, in particular from Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite still absent from the Polynesian archipelagos.
Why such precautions?
Recent history shows that a contaminated product can have very real consequences. The potato virus PVY has damaged Polynesian tomato crops. Potatoes and tomatoes both belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), like peppers, chili peppers and tobacco, which allows the virus to jump from one species to another. The same type of risk exists between plants of the same botanical family, such as philodendron and taro in the arum family (Araceae).
Bees are another striking example. Across all five archipelagos, they remain protected from many threats affecting hives elsewhere in the world. The introduction of varroa, which weakens bees and can transmit deadly viruses, could have serious consequences for the entire Polynesian beekeeping industry.
When you arrive in Tahiti
A reminder of the biosecurity rules is announced on board before landing. At Tahiti Faa'a International Airport, the Biosecurity desk is located near the customs checkpoints. If you are carrying food or any product of animal or plant origin, present it to the officers voluntarily.
Checks may be documentary or physical, and may involve biosecurity officers, detector dog teams or, depending on the case, veterinary examinations. Prohibited products, or those that don't meet entry requirements, may be refused, seized or destroyed. Violations of the regulations may also result in penalties.
Vigilance doesn't end at the airport: monitoring systems are also in place around the port and on several islands to prevent pests from spreading from one archipelago to another.
Yes. Quantity alone can't determine whether a product is safe. If in doubt, show it at the Biosecurity desk.
It depends on the product and its country or area of origin, so original packaging and labels are required. Swine diseases present in several countries lead to bans or restrictions. Always check the regulations in force before you leave.
These products pose a significant plant health risk and are subject to strict rules. Don't slip them into your luggage without first checking that they're allowed and, if so, which formalities are required.
No. No honey or hive products are allowed, as they can carry parasites or diseases that could threaten Polynesian bees.
The best reflex is to ask before you leave. The Biosecurity Department (Direction de la Biosécurité) can tell you the conditions that apply to your product and its origin. Visit their website or contact them directly by email at secretariat.dbs@administration.gov.pf.
Go straight to the Biosecurity desk and show the product to the officers, rather than risk walking through the checks with an undeclared item and being fined.
