Bangkok: "Suriya" orders the Department of Fisheries to expedite the plan to address the Administrative Court's ruling and resolve the black-chinned tilapia problem. Minister Suriya has instructed Minister Watcharapol to oversee the Department of Fisheries in expediting action according to the Central Administrative Court's ruling and to develop a detailed plan to effectively address the black-chinned tilapia problem. Minister Watcharapol is preparing a circular to urge all agencies to implement the seven measures, revealing that over 10.68 million kilograms of black-chinned tilapia have already been removed.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suriya Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, stated that he has urgently instructed Mr. Watcharapol Khaokham, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, who oversees the Department of Fisheries, to expedite action in accordance with the Central Administrative Court's ruling regarding the resolution of the black-chinned tilapia infestation. He also ordered the Department of Fisheries to prepare a detailed operational plan to ensure the court's decision is effective. The Central Administrative Court ruled that the Department of Fisheries, through its Director-General, must exercise its authority to control, prevent, mitigate, and suppress the breeding or spread of black-chinned tilapia in affected areas, in accordance with the Black-chinned Tilapia Infestation Resolution Action Plan 2024-2027 and other necessary measures. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives are to jointly oversee and provide resources to ensure the implementation achieves its objectives within 180 days of the final judgment.
Mr. Watcharaphol stated that since taking over the supervision of the Department of Fisheries, he has continuously prioritized addressing the black-chinned tilapia problem, accelerating the implementation of seven measures. Most recently, he is preparing a circular to relevant agencies to expedite implementation. These measures have been ongoing, and following the Central Administrative Court's ruling, he will expedite their application to achieve results quickly. As of August 27, 2026, the Department of Fisheries has eradicated a total of 10,683,073.25 kilograms of black-chinned tilapia, comprising 6,568,259.70 kilograms (61.48%) from aquaculture ponds and 4,114,813.55 kilograms (38.52%) from natural water sources. Regarding the outbreak situation, ten provinces have seen a decrease in prevalence, eight provinces have maintained stable prevalence levels, and three provinces are currently under surveillance and three provinces have experienced outbreaks.
The seven measures include:
1. Control and eradicate black-chinned tilapia in all water sources where outbreaks are found, using efficient and appropriate fishing gear for the area. This includes eliminating larvae and fish in farmers' aquaculture ponds and promoting improvements to farming systems. The goal is to remove at least 5,000 tons of black-chinned tilapia from the ecosystem.
2. Elimination through continuous release of predatory fish: Provide and release at least 5 million native predatory fish, such as white snapper, giant snakehead, and striped catfish, into the target area, and assess the population status and density before and after the release.
3. Utilize the black-chinned tilapia removed from the ecosystem by establishing purchasing points to incentivize fishing and processing them into products such as bio-fermented liquid, fish meal, fermented fish paste, and other processed foods. The goal is to utilize at least 5,000 tons of fish.
4. Conduct surveys and surveillance in buffer zones, establish systems and channels for receiving tips from the public, and proactively survey and monitor water sources in border areas where outbreaks have not yet been detected, in order to prevent the spread to new areas.
5. Build knowledge, awareness, and participation: Develop materials and manuals for the public and officials on identifying and managing black-chinned tilapia, as well as raising awareness about laws and prohibitions regarding the breeding, release, or movement of invasive alien aquatic species.
6. Develop research, technology, and innovation, including genetic research to control reproduction, studying methods to attract and aggregate fish schools to increase catch efficiency, and developing databases and spatial information systems to monitor disease outbreaks.
7. Restore aquatic ecosystems and resources by surveying native aquatic species in each river basin, breeding and releasing at least 5 million native aquatic animals back into natural water sources, and restoring at least 16 habitats to restore the balance of the ecosystem.
All seven measures are in line with the framework of the Action Plan to Address the Black-Chinned Tilapia Outbreak 2024-2027, a plan mandated by the Central Administrative Court to be implemented within the Department of Fisheries' authority. The Cabinet approved the plan on August 20, 2024, with a timeframe from July 2024 to September 2027.