Thai government declares war on blackchin tilapia

Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture has vowed to make the eradication of blackchin tilapia a national priority, saying methods to prevent this invasive species from breeding are being studied.

According to Minister Thammanat Prompow, his ministry has been working to get rid of the invasive species that are native to West Africa because they are predators and pose a great risk to underwater biodiversity.

Related agencies have been asked to study whether sterilization would affect the fish’s chromosomes and lead to a mutation of the species.

The Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) was also told to establish a fund to buy the fish as fertilizer for rubber plantations, he said.

The minister said it was unclear when and how blackchin tilapia arrived in Thailand. However, the ministry has been working on catching the fish in many provinces for a long time.

Unless there is permission from the authorities, bringing this particular species into the country is illegal, he said.