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CP Foods Denies Link to Spread of Invasive Fish in the Country

CP Foods (CPF), part of the Charoen Pokphand agribusiness conglomerate, has refuted claims of its involvement in the spread of invasive blackchin tilapia in the country.

The firm also clarified that it was not the sole importer of this species, as verified by the Department of Fisheries. A review of their records revealed that, over the past decade, 11 companies had exported these fish to 17 different countries.

Prasit Boondoungprasert, the CEO of CPF, stated last Thursday that the company initially imported the fish for research purposes in December 2010 but discontinued the project a month later after they grew weak and died.

Prasit questioned, “That happened 14 years ago. How does the spread [of the invasive fish] have anything to do with us?”

“We are a large company, and we have to follow proper procedures. We have import documents,” he explained.

He added, “I’m unaware of the specifics regarding other large-scale importers of the fish. Annually, about 50,000 to 60,000 of these fish were also exported from Thailand,” noting that between 2013 and 2015, blackchin tilapia were primarily cultivated as ornamental fish.

Prasit affirmed that all documentation concerning the fish’s disposal had been submitted to the Department of Fisheries, responding to their claim of not receiving such documents.

The department had authorized CPF to import 2,000 blackchin tilapia from Ghana in 2010 for research in Samut Songkhram province.

CPF reported to the department that the fish perished within three weeks of their arrival in Thailand and had been properly disposed of.

However, local residents later observed the non-native species in shrimp farms and waterways of the province, eventually leading to their spread across 16 provinces including Bangkok, Rayong, and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

As the population of the invasive species increased, the numbers of native fish began to decline.

DNA testing by the department has traced all individual fish back to the same parent stock.

On Thursday, Bancha Sukkaew, the head of the department, revealed that approximately 230,000 blackchin tilapia were exported by 11 companies to 17 countries between 2013 and 2016.

Despite a ban on exporting these fish enacted in 2018, Bancha noted that the fish are not a protected species, suggesting breeders might have sourced them from wild populations.

He also mentioned that the department had requested CPF to provide disposal records, which they have not yet received.

To manage the invasive species, the department plans to use genetic modifications to create infertile offspring over the next three years.

Bancha announced that genetically modified male specimens would be released to mate and produce infertile fry, with plans to release at least 250,000 fish over a period of 15 months starting no later than December.