Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) vows to sue individuals accusing the company of being involved in the spread of blackchin tilapia, as the fish were strictly quarantined at its farm in Samut Songkhram during previous research on the African species.
Prasit Boondoungprasert, chief executive of CPF, stressed that the company is not responsible for its spread and will protect its reputation against misinformation by taking legal action against those disseminating false images and information that misrepresent the facts.
He said CPF conducted the research to improve the Nile tilapia breed and reduce inbreeding. This led to the decision to scientifically import fish named Sarotherodon melanotheron from Ghana in 2006.
Although the goal was to import 5,000 fish, only 2,000 were imported in 2010 because of delays.
Upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport, the young fish were handled in accordance with procedures outlined to the Higher Education, Science and Innovation Committee and its subcommittees.
The fry were inspected upon arrival at the airport, with more than 70% found dead because of the long journey.
FISH QUARANTINE
The remaining 600 fish were placed in a cement pond with an eight-tonne water capacity at Yisan Farm, not in an earthen pond as falsely reported, said Mr Prasit.
This was part of a quarantine process following biosecurity standards, countering the claim that the fish were continuously raised in earthen ponds from 2010-2017.
PROJECT TERMINATED
Due to high mortality rates during the quarantine, the research was abandoned as the sample size was insufficient.
CPF researchers sought and received permission from the Department of Fisheries to destroy the remaining fry. The fish carcasses were then handed over to the department.
Mr Prasit clarified and addressed concerns about the company's compliance with import conditions set by the Biodiversity and Safety Committee, which looked into three issues.
The first was to report post-experiment results. Since the fry did not survive the quarantine, the research goals were unmet, causing the company to discontinue the project. The Department of Fisheries was notified of the decision on Jan 6, 2011.
The second involved fin sample collection. Fin collection was not feasible due to the weakened condition of the fish. The Department of Fisheries was responsible for ensuring proper species identification, which they verified on-site.
The third was the destruction of fish. Mr Prasit said the company complied with regulations by destroying all remaining fish and notifying fisheries officials who inspected the process. The fish were disposed of safely using chlorine and formalin, followed by burial with lime to prevent contamination.
FINDINGS CLARIFIED
Mr Prasit noted the difference between the 2020 and 2022 research findings.
The 2020 study indicated that blackchin tilapia in Thailand could be divided into 2-3 subgroups with high genetic variation. In contrast, the 2022 study, which used different methods, suggested the fish likely came from the same source but did not show significant genetic variation based on geographic distance.
This suggests human activity, possibly illegal breeding or using the fish as bait, could have contributed to the distribution of the species.
ADDRESSING MISINFORMATION
Mr Prasit said CPF will act against the use of false images and information that misrepresent the company, causing public misunderstanding.
Examples of misinformation include a distorted aerial image. The image of the Yisan Farm area was altered, misrepresenting the farm's layout, which in reality is used for breeding Nile tilapia, red tilapia and other sea fish, he said.
There was also a report of a misleading pond image. The photo falsely claiming to show the Yisan Farm's earthen pond used for breeding blackchin tilapia is inaccurate. The farm was closed for renovations during the period in question, Mr Prasit argued.
An egg selection image was a problem. The picture labelled as "selecting blackchin tilapia eggs" misrepresents the company's practices.
"I want to reaffirm that CPF is not responsible for the spread of blackchin tilapia. We will take necessary legal actions to protect the company's integrity against the use of false images and information," Mr Prasit said.
