THE Department of Agriculture will continue to closely monitor transit points in Taveuni following reports of dalo beetles being found on Gau Island in Lomaiviti.
Principal agricultural officer north John Cox said his team continued with community awareness programs that included educating boat operators.
"The dalo industry is very important in Taveuni and plays a vital role in peoples lives on the island. That is why we need to protect the island and we are doing our best in ensuring that no plants, crops or any soil is shipped into Taveuni from outside," Mr Cox said.
The awareness program, he said, stressed the importance of not moving or transporting planting material or soil from affected areas to unaffected areas.
"It is for the people including those in Viti Levu to know that any plants whether it be flowers or dalo and soil, if it sits in affected areas, don't move it to unaffected areas."
Last year, on a trip to Taveuni from Buca Bay, a team from this newspaper observed how the boat crew threw overboard a sack of dalo being loaded from Buca Bay.
Mr Cox urged the public to contact the Agriculture Department, police station or Biosecurity Authority of Fiji to report any movement of plant, soil or vegetation from affected to unaffected areas.