Minister confirms blackchin tilapia found near Pattaya beach but says spread is under control

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Watcharaphon Khaokham has confirmed that a viral clip showing villagers catching blackchin tilapia near Pattaya beach in Chon Buri is genuine, after members of the public were seen casting nets and catching about 10 kilogrammes of the fish.

Speaking after visiting the area on Thursday, Watcharaphon said the location where the fish were found was a transition zone between brackish water and seawater, where blackchin tilapia had previously been detected. He stressed that this was not a new expansion of the species’ range.

He said the current situation was linked to rainfall. When large volumes of rainwater flow into the sea, blackchin tilapia can naturally be carried along by the current. However, he said the fish would not be able to survive if they reached areas of fully saline seawater.

Watcharaphon said he remained confident the situation could still be controlled, adding that no further breeding in the sea had been found. The species remains a brackish-water fish and its numbers have not increased to an alarming level, he said.

He added that he had instructed the director-general of the Department of Fisheries and the Chon Buri provincial fisheries office to monitor the matter closely.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has been working continuously to control and eradicate blackchin tilapia. On the same day, the Senate’s agriculture committee also held a seminar on the issue at Parliament.

Current policy is moving towards managing the species in a way that allows coexistence, with an emphasis on utilisation. Part of the approach still involves eradication, while another part focuses on making use of the fish, including processing it into alternative products such as sun-dried fish or promoting it as a raw material for fish sauce production.

Watcharaphon said that, as the minister directly assigned to oversee the Department of Fisheries, he would accelerate follow-up on the issue and push for concrete outcomes, particularly on the utilisation side. Products made from blackchin tilapia may be seen in the future, he said.

He reaffirmed that the spread of blackchin tilapia remains limited to the same areas as before. Reports of the fish being found sporadically in some locations may be linked to rainfall and water flowing into the sea.

If any blackchin tilapia escape into the sea, Watcharaphon said he believed natural predators would deal with them. He also reaffirmed that, by species type, blackchin tilapia are brackish-water fish and have not been found to spread in the sea.

Blackchin tilapia are regarded as a highly invasive alien fish species because they tolerate changing salinity, reproduce quickly and compete with native aquatic species for food and habitat. They are most commonly associated with brackish-water canals, ponds and coastal wetland systems, where their spread can affect fish farms, shrimp farms and local biodiversity. Fisheries experts have advised that any blackchin tilapia caught should not be released back into natural water sources or moved to other areas, as this could worsen the spread.