Because Hawaii is the “endangered species capital of the world,” it is important to know what you can and cannot bring when traveling to the islands. In fact, we have more endangered species per square mile than anywhere else in the world, so we ask for your help in preserving our unique ecosystems.
During the flight, flight attendants will pass out an Agricultural Declaration Form to passengers. State law requires one to be filled out per family, in which passengers declare all plants, seeds, animals, soil or microorganisms they may have in their carry-on or luggage.
Should passengers have any of the above listed materials, their baggage will be taken to plant quarantine inspectors near the baggage claim area. This process has definitely helped to weed out any unwanted species that could potentially be a threat to the environment.
If passengers choose not to declare agricultural items, they should discard them in the Amnesty Bin near the baggage claim area before leaving the airport. As you can see, this process is entirely based on the honor system, so please do what is pono (right) and help to preserve our island’s natural beauty.
