Over 250 Farmers Join Legal Action Against Invasive Fish Species
PUBLISHED: 12 Aug 2024 at 09:20
The Lawyers Council of Thailand is set to initiate legal proceedings against private companies and state agencies linked to the rapid spread of blackchin tilapia, an invasive species from West Africa that is overruning the nation’s waterways. The council aims to address the ecological and economic damage caused by this invasive fish.
This past Sunday, legal representatives established a registration booth at Wat Khao Yi San in Samut Songkhram’s Amphawa district, allowing affected residents to join the lawsuit or present evidence of the harm inflicted by this non-native species. By Sunday afternoon, 214 fish farmers had signed up to participate in the lawsuit. A similar booth in tambon Phraek Nam Daeng on August 2 had previously attracted 57 farmers.
Nitthrarat Paetwong, head of the Lawyers Council’s Samut Songkhram branch, indicated that a civil case will be filed alongside the Office of Administrative Cases Commission to seek compensation for the damages associated with the blackchin tilapia invasion. The extent of those affected and the potential damage costs remain unclear.
Nitthrarat announced plans to file the legal case by Friday, forecasting that the court’s ruling could take a minimum of six months. He noted that while they plan to engage a lawyer to calculate the damages, the final amount will ultimately be determined by the court.
The impacts of blackchin tilapia have been severe, as it has displaced native tilapia species in several waterways, leading to threats against other commercially valuable aquatic species within the same habitats. Farmers, like one in Phetchaburi, reported devastation to crab stocks at their farms, leading to significant financial losses. Similar reports of substantial losses have emerged from fish farms in the Pak Phanang and Hua Sai districts of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
