They ate the shrimp, they even ate the crab': Thai fishers count the cost of a voracious invader

Thai fishers in Samut Prakan are documenting the escalating costs of a voracious invasive species, blackchin tilapia, which has spread widely since first being reported in 2011. At a seafood restaurant in the province, chef Adisorn Jamsuksaward has begun experimenting with the non-native fish, offering it free to friends, while acknowledging it is unlikely to become a bestseller. The article says the invasion has disrupted shrimp farmers and coastal fishers, with reports indicating the species has infiltrated at least 19 provinces, from Bangkok’s canals to the coastal waters near Pattaya. A fisher, Wallop Khunjaen, is cited saying the fish consumed nearly all of the roughly one million juvenile shrimp in his pond within two months. Thai authorities have added control measures, including releasing Asian sea bass, developing blackchin tilapia intended to produce sterile offspring, and paying people to fish it, with thousands of tonnes removed. Experts say eradication is unlikely, suggesting economic uses such as animal feed or consumption may be the most sustainable route.