Fish sauce from blackchin tilapia: A sustainable solution to alien species
A fish sauce made from blackchin tilapia is being promoted as an innovative solution to turn the problem of invasive alien species into benefits for both communities and the environment.
This initiative, a collaboration between the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Corrections, and Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), utilises local wisdom to ferment the fish into a fish sauce that is flavoursome, clean, safe and environmentally friendly.
Since 2024, four pilot provinces — Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Phetchaburi, and Samut Prakan — have joined forces to catch over 20,000 kilograms of blackchin tilapia from local waterways, which are then fermented into fish sauce under the brand name “Hub Poei”.
The project also offers prisoners the opportunity to take part in the production process, providing hands-on training to develop valuable vocational skills and prepare them for a meaningful reintegration into society.
Beyond the four central prisons involved, this blackchin tilapia fish sauce processing initiative has also inspired police officers and their families to receive training to produce fish sauce for household consumption, with potential to develop this into a supplementary source of income.
Wirat Sanitmatjaro, chief of the Samut Songkhram Provincial Fisheries Office, said that fish sauce made from blackchin tilapia provides a solution to controlling invasive fish species, benefiting all parties involved. The process also utilises sea salt, a speciality of the province, to enhance the quality of this community product crafted by Thai hands.
Currently, the blackchin tilapia fish sauce is in the fermentation stage, which takes around one year. Packaging development is underway, with the official launch of “Hub Poei Mae Klong” expected within this year, followed by the release of “Hub Poei Khao Kling,” “Hub Poei Samut Sakhon,” and “Hub Poei Samut Prakan” brands for consumers to choose from.
“Blackchin tilapia fish sauce is proof that creativity can turn a crisis into opportunity, transforming invasive fish into valuable resources, and changing consumers’ perceptions of something once overlooked into a prized product deserving a place in every Thai kitchen,” he said.
The authentic fish sauce recipe uses two main ingredients: blackchin tilapia and sea salt, in a ratio of 4:1. The mixture is fermented in earthenware jars, using 120 kilograms of fish to 30 kilograms of sea salt.
The fermentation process begins with cleaning the fish thoroughly. Then, layers of fish and salt are alternately placed into the jar, with four parts fish to one part salt by volume, until the jar is full. This recipe does not require mixing the fish and salt.
Once filled, the jar is sealed with plastic wrap to prevent water ingress, tied tightly with string, and topped with a wooden lid. The mixture is then left to ferment outdoors for 12 months, after which it becomes a mellow, fragrant fish sauce suitable for household use or commercial sale.
