【特集論文農業環境政策の新潮流と生物多様性】農業における外来種問題 : 施設栽培トマトにおけるマルハナバチの使用

概要

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　Since 1991, when large earth bumblebees （Bombus terrestris ） were introduced as pollinators in Japan, this alien species has been extensively used by tomato producers for greenhouse tomato pollination. On September1, 2006, however, Japan’s Invasive Alien Species Act banned the raising, planting, storing, carrying, importing, and releasing of this alien species, except for the purposes of research or the maintenance of bread-and-butter jobs. According to the Act, using B . terrestris for agricultural purposes is allowed only with the permission of the Minister of the Environment. This permission is given on the conditions that farmers cover greenhouses with nets for preventing the bees’ escape, and that they properly dispose of used hives. This paper discusses tomato producers’ incentives for substituting Japanese native bumblebees for B. terrestris , for covering greenhouses with nets, and for disposing of used bumblebee hives. If the substitution of native bumblebees for B. terrestris is desirable, subsidies for using native bumblebees may be necessary to facilitate that substitution. Without monitoring and enforcement, there will be no incentives for farmers to use nets or to dispose of usedbumblebee hives, in which case, the government may not be able to protect ecosystems from the threats posed by B. terrestris in order to ensure biodiversity.