Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF) today announced significant progress in its ongoing efforts to address the blackchin tilapia issue in Thailand's ecosystems. The company has been collaborating with the Department of Fisheries on five key projects aimed at managing and reducing the invasive species population.
Key Achievements:
The latest initiative, to be piloted at Samut Songkhram Central Prison, aims to utilize caught blackchin tilapia for fish sauce production while providing vocational training to inmates.
Mr. Prasit Boondoungprasert, CEO of CPF, stated, "We recognize the environmental impact and distress caused to farmers by the blackchin tilapia. Our company is committed to supporting the government's integrated measures to manage this national issue."
Project Highlights:
The first project: Fishmeal Production: Partnered with Sirisaeng Arumpee Factory in Samut Sakhon to purchase 2 million kilograms of blackchin tilapia from various areas including Samut Songkhram, Samut Prakan, and Phetchaburi.
The second project: Predatory Fish Release: Provided 200,000 predatory fish to control blackchin tilapia population. The company has delivered 70,000 sea bass (4-5 inches) to various provincial fisheries offices, with plans to release 19,000 more in September.
The third project: Community Fishing Events: Supported the removal of 27,000 kilograms of fish from 17 provinces by providing fishing equipment, food, and drinking water for participants.
The fourth and fifth projects Partnered with universities to promote "fermented fish starter culture" innovation, reducing fermentation time by over 50% and introducing eDNA technology for fish population surveys.
Previously, CPF has provided over 200 used plastic barrels from animal feed factories to the Land Development Department for bio-fermented water production, benefiting farmers of the Rubber Authority of Thailand and schools' organic vegetable projects.
CPF continues to expand its partnerships across all sectors to develop sustainable solutions for the blackchin tilapia problem, aiming to restore balance to Thailand's natural water sources and support affected farmers.