State restricts movement of coconut rhinoceros beetle host materials on Hawaiʻi Island

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is reminding businesses, organizations and individuals operating in a designated coconut rhinoceros beetle-infested area of West Hawaiʻi Island that they must obtain a compliance agreement before handling host materials for the invasive pest.

The requirement stems from Interim Rule 26-1, approved by the state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity on March 24, 2026, aimed at slowing the human-assisted spread of the beetle, known scientifically as Oryctes rhinoceros, on Hawaiʻi Island.

To obtain a compliance agreement, affected parties must complete a roughly one-hour training session offered by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee. Those who fail to sign up and complete the training in a timely manner may face penalties of up to $10,000, according to the department.

People can register for training through committee’s website at https://www.biisc.org/crb-compliance-trainings/. Committee staff will coordinate scheduling directly with participants and, once training is complete, will submit a copy of the compliance agreement application to the state agriculture department to verify completion.

The designated CRB-infested area covers the region generally bounded by Waikoloa Road from Highway 190 to the coast, continuing south to Laʻaloa Avenue, and from the coast to its intersection with Highway 11 to the east.

Interim Rule 26-1 restricts transportation of CRB host materials within and from the infested area. Covered materials include bare-root CRB host palms; other live plants of any size with organic material attached to the roots, such as potted plants or sod; and decomposing plant material such as mulch, trimmings, wood or tree chips, stumps, compost and plant propagation media, including commercially bagged products. Landscaping material and erosion-control socks containing decomposing plant matter are also restricted.

The rule does not apply to plant products intended for consumption, including coconuts, fruits, nuts, edible leaves and cooking spices. Exemptions also cover items preserved from decay through treatment or use, such as lumber, woven hats, dried and painted coconuts, wooden posts, wood carvings and firewood, as well as seeds for planting and cut flowers or foliage used in decoration, including lei, floral bouquets and arrangements.

Additional exemptions apply to rock, coral and sand not mixed with CRB host material; live bare-rooted plants that are not CRB host palms, including propagative cuttings; and tissue-cultured or other micropropagated live plants in sterile media.

While the restrictions apply specifically to Hawaiʻi Island, the coconut rhinoceros beetle poses a statewide threat to palm trees and other host plants. In early June, officials from the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity collected three dead adult coconut rhinoceros beetles from two detection traps in Waikapū. Officials later confirmed the beetles were dead CRB.