Samut Sakhon fishmeal factory meets blackchin tilapia target
A leading fishmeal factory in Samut Sakhon has announced that it successfully procured 2 million kilos of invasive blackchin tilapia, meeting the target it set earlier this year.
The announcement was made at a recent meeting with senior officials, including Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat and the chair of the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, Mongkol Sukcharoenkana. The agenda of the meeting was coming up with strategies to combat fishing challenges and the spread of the invasive African fish species.
Preecha Sirisangarampee, the owner of the Sirisangarampee fishmeal factory, said the population of the invasive fish in the region has dropped significantly, adding that the supply of blackchin tilapia delivered to the factory has reduced a great deal.
Preecha has been actively involved in addressing the issue of the invasive fish, which has been threatening the local aquatic ecosystem.
In July, when the presence of the fish was noted in local waterways, Preecha had called on all government agencies, private sector, fishermen and local communities to make a joint effort to end the invasion.
He added that his factory was able to procure the 2 million kilograms of the fish thanks to a partnership with Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co Ltd.
Meanwhile, fish farmers have started using blackchin cichlids as feed for seabass, lowering their production costs. The cichlids also serve as effective fishing bait, which benefits both local communities and the ecosystem in Samut Sakhon.
