The Fisheries Department reconfirmed today that all the Blackchin tilapia fish caught across the country will be purchased at 15 baht/kg until end of this month.
The department’s chief, Bancha Sukkaew, said that the department has appointed 75 trade representatives, in Chanthaburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla provinces, to purchase the non-indigenous fish, which has spread to at least 17 provinces and is posing a real threat to other aquatic species.
He said that the fish will be processed into bio compost by the Land Development Department and distributed to large-scale rubber plantations for soil improvement.
The fish will be purchased until the end of this month, after which the department will decide whether the program will be extended.
Bancha also said that fishermen should inform the purchasing representatives in all the 75 locations about where the fish were caught and what equipment was used, so that the information can be compiled, to be used to develop methods to deal with the fish.
Since August 1st, more than 40 tonnes of the fish have been purchased and sent to the Land Development Department for processing.
The Cabinet has already approved the Agriculture Ministry’s proposal to set aside 450 million baht to purchase Blackchin tilapia from the public, in an effort to get rid of the invasive species from Thailand’s watercourses.
