Massive Catch of Black-Chin Tilapia Alarms Fishing Community
A fisherman's unusually massive catch of 200 kilograms of black-chin tilapia near Ban Roong Po in Chachoengsao has alarmed the local fishing community, which fears ecological imbalance and calls for urgent investigation into the fish's sudd
A Facebook video posted by a fisherman documenting an unusually large catch of black-chin tilapia near Ban Roong Po in Chachoengsao has sparked widespread concern among the local community. Nattakorn Seuaiam, 27, known as Tai Nut, went out on August 12 to fish for mullet to feed his family but instead found his net filled almost entirely with black-chin tilapia—roughly 200 kilograms in total weight. Struck by the discovery, Tai Nut posted the video with a caption expressing shock at what he had found.
Tai Nut explained that in his years fishing these waters, he had never encountered such a large number of black-chin tilapia at once. The most alarming detail is that no other fish species were caught in the net at all, not a single one. This raised questions about a potential ecological imbalance in the area. Tai Nut distributed much of the catch to local residents who needed food, while he kept some to prepare for his family using various cooking methods, including frying and sun-drying. He noted that the fish tasted similar to tilapia but with a higher fat content.
Tai Nut speculated that the fish may have migrated from Bang Lamung Canal into the sea following heavy rainfall, though he acknowledged this was only a hypothesis requiring official investigation. The local fishing community and mussel farmers are deeply concerned about potential impacts on aquatic resources and coastal ecosystems, particularly to their mussel farms. They are calling on fisheries authorities and relevant agencies to conduct urgent surveys to determine the scale of the invasion, the distribution pattern of the fish, and any ecological consequences.
