On September 25, 2024, officials including Dr. Vayo Aswarungreung and Mr. Natthacha Booncha-in-sawat held a press conference at the Parliament to announce findings related to the outbreak of Black Cichlid Fish (ปลาหมอคางดำ) in Thailand. They highlighted that there is only one private entity responsible for importing this species, which spread due to human activity.
The outbreak has affected 79 districts across 19 provinces. Initial import requests were made in 2006, but active imports did not occur until 2010 when 2,000 fish were brought in from Ghana for research and development purposes.
Research conducted by the Department of Fisheries indicated that the genetic makeup of the fish populations involved showed minimal variance, suggesting a common origin. Furthermore, the spread pattern exhibited isolated clusters, indicating that human transportation was likely the primary method of dispersion rather than natural waterways.
In August 2024, genetic data from samples collected in six provinces during 2017-2021 aligned with genetic samples from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, further confirming the single-source import theory.
The commission called for government action to identify culpable parties under the National Environmental Quality Promotion and Conservation Act of 1992, emphasizing the responsibilities of the Department of Fisheries and related provincial authorities to address the impact of this outbreak.
This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.
