Council to sue over tilapia invasion

Over 250 farmers sign up to join case

The Lawyers Council of Thailand is planning to file a lawsuit against private companies and state agencies which are responsible for the unchecked spread of blackchin tilapia, an invasive species from west Africa which is quickly taking over the country’s waterways.

A team of lawyers from the council on Sunday set up a booth at Wat Khao Yi San in Samut Songkhram’s Amphawa district, where residents who have been affected by the invasive fish species could register to take part in the lawsuit or submit evidence showing the damage caused by non-native fish species.

As of Sunday afternoon, 214 fish farmers had registered to take part in the lawsuit at the booth in tambon Yi San. The team had set up a booth for the same purpose in tambon Phraek Nam Daeng on Aug 2, where 57 fish farmers signed on to take part in the lawsuit.

Nitthrarat Paetwong, head of Samut Songkhram’s branch of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, said the council and the Office of Administrative Cases Commission will file a civil case against those they believe caused the spread of blackchin tilapia in the country, to demand compensation. It is still unknown how many people are affected or how far the damage bill extends.

He said the council expects to file the case with the court by Friday, noting it will take at least six months for the court to issue a ruling. As for the damages, Mr Nitthrarat said the council will hire a lawyer to work out the compensation. However, the amount will ultimately be decided by the court, he said.

Not only has the fish replaced native tilapia species in some waterways in the country, but the fish also poses a threat to other valuable commercial species which share the same habitat.

A farmer in Phetchaburi, for instance, said the fish has effectively wiped out the crab stocks at his farm, causing massive financial damage. Several fish farms in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Pak Phanang and Hua Sai districts also reported huge losses because of the spread of fish.