Thailand battles blackneck tilapia invasion, costing economy $293m

Thailand has caught more than 1.3 million kilograms of the highly damaging black china tilapia fish, the government said Tuesday, as it battles the invasive species.

Schools of black-skinned tilapia, which can produce up to 500 young, have been found in 19 provinces in Thailand. The fish are destroying ecosystems in rivers, marshes and canals, preying on small fish, shrimp and snail larvae.

In addition to the environmental impact, the government is also concerned about the impact on the kingdom’s key fish farming industry.

Fisheries authorities caught 1.3 million kilograms (2.87 million pounds) of blacktip tilapia between February and Aug. 28, according to Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat, vice-chairwoman of a parliamentary committee set up to stop the spread of the fish.

“We spoke to local residents and learned that the tilapia population had deteriorated significantly — they were being found in small canals, which was not the case before,” he said.