Government Mobilizes 21 Provinces to Fight Black-Chin Fish Outbreak
The government has mobilized 21 provinces to combat an invasive black-chin tilapia outbreak threatening ecosystems and livelihoods, establishing task forces and deploying capture operations while seeking an additional 350 million baht to fu
On September 12, Deputy Government Spokeswoman Patdara Tongsluaykorn announced that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has ordered all affiliated agencies to work urgently and decisively to stop the spread of black-chin tilapia, which is threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and people's livelihoods. Currently, the invasive fish is confirmed in 21 provinces. To streamline operations and address the crisis effectively, the ministry is establishing a special committee to oversee the problem directly and setting up rapid-response task forces at the provincial level in all 21 affected areas. This will ensure clear accountability in each region, enable coordination between multiple agencies, and allow immediate deployment of capture and control operations without bureaucratic delays. The deputy spokesperson noted that the Agriculture Ministry has already implemented seven active measures: accelerating hunting and removal of black-chin tilapia from water sources, releasing predatory fish to control population, processing caught fish into fertilizer and fish meal to generate revenue, establishing biosecurity zones to prevent spread to new water bodies, engaging communities and volunteers for surveillance, deploying DNA analysis and tracking systems to monitor dispersal, and restoring ecosystems in controlled areas. However, while the government had budgeted 70-90 million baht for 2025, the wider outbreak now requires additional funding. The ministry has consulted with the Prime Minister and is seeking an additional 350 million baht in central budget support to comprehensively manage and resolve the crisis.
