Thailand: Government support to make fermented fish sauce from blackchin tilapia

The Department of Fisheries is turning to a novel way to eradicate blackchin tilapia from Thailand's waterways -- by turning them into "nam pla ra", or fermented fish sauce. In an effort to curb the spread of the invasive species, which poses a threat to commercially-valuable fish stocks in at least nine provinces, the department will work with local communities in affected areas to process caught blackchin tilapia into the popular asian condiment, department chief Bancha Sukkaew said. He said this is in line with Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Akkara Prompow's instruction that the department find pro-active measures to limit the impact of the invasive fish on the economies of affected areas. The scheme, he said, aims to remove at least 200,000 kilogrammes of blackchin tilapia from waterways in Chumphon, Phetchaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Prachin Buri, Ratchaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong and Nonthaburi provinces. Communities which have signed up will each receive ...