Countries may keep pest databases of pest interceptions and identifications and pest lists. The key issue here is to meet the standards and terminology of ISPM No 8: Determination of Pest status in an area for general activities and ISPM No 4: Requirements for the establishment of pest free areas where monitoring is for specific pest freedom.

At the regional level, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) maintains the PPPO country pest database because many countries cannot do this themselves, or retain pest collections nationally.

The SPC Pacific Islands Pest List Database provides information on national pest status. The data are used for risk analysis so that risk can be managed. It also supports transparency in decision making.

A biosecurity office might also wish to keep data on pest interceptions on imports, so that data can be sent as notifications of non-compliance to trading partners.