Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group, has informed the House Committee on Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovations that the company imported 2,000 Blackchin tilapia, a fish species from Africa, in 2010 for research and species improvement.
Most of the fish died during the journey to Thailand, however, leaving only 600 alive upon arrival. Most of them subsequently died as well, leaving the last 50, which were destroyed and properly disposed of after the company decided to cancel the research project.
The company insists that it sent samples of the dead fish, which were preserved in formalin in bottles, to the Fisheries Department in 2011. The department claims, however, that it has not received any preserved fish samples from the company.
The company also said in its report that, in 2017, inspectors from the Fisheries Department visited the company’s experimental fish farm in Samut Sakhon, to get information about the importation of the Blackchin tilapia in 2010 and its management of the fish.
Members of the National Human Rights Commission also visited the farm to investigate the spread of the fish in waters in Samut Sakhon, but the company insisted that it was not responsible for the spread of the alien fish species.
Meanwhile, Fisheries Department Director-General Bancha Sukkaew said the department will propose a bill to the government to increase criminal and administrative penalties for people who contribute to the spread of Blackchin tilapia, which have now been detected in 16 provinces.
The department has also adopted measures to contain the spread of the species, including the release of predatory fish into natural watercourses to eliminate Blackchin tilapia, including Asian sea bass and snakehead fish.
All 16 provinces will set up centres at which it will buy the fish, at 15 baht/kg, to turn into animal feed, in order to encourage the public to catch them.
