The Ministry of Agriculture has issued an edict, effective yesterday, banning the possession of live or dead Blackchin tilapia fish (Sarotherodon melanotheron) everywhere, except in the 19 provinces in which the non-indigenous fish is spreading.
Those provinces are Chanthaburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Chon Buri, Phatthalung and Prachin Buri.
There are, however, exceptions for their transportation, if they are kept in ice in enclosed containers, frozen or in processed form, such as in slices and preserved in salt.
They can be transported in dried form and kept in enclosed containers to be processed into bio compost or powdered fish. They may also be transported by state agencies for disposal.
This latest measure is a part of the ministry’s efforts to contain the spread of the invasive fish, which is threatening the ecological systems in watercourses by depleting indigenous aquatic species.
Other measures currently being undertaken include the launch of a public campaign to get rid of the fish in natural watercourses and the allocation of a special 450 million baht budget to buy the fish from fishermen at 15baht/kg for turning into bio compost to nurture farmland.
