OVER 1,400 aquatic farmers and fishermen in Samut Songkhram province together with two networks today (Sept. 5) filed a lawsuit against a private company and nine of its executives for importing the havoc-wreaking blackchin tilapia fish from Ghana which is now causing severe ecological damage and ruined their livelihood, TV Channel 7 and Naewna newspaper said.
Although both news outlets did not name the private company, a Thai Newsroom report published in July identified it as Charoen Pokphand Foods Co (CPF).
CPF has earlier said that all the predator fish imported and raised in the firm’s research ponds in Yisarn subdistrict of Ampawa district of Samut Songkhram had been completely “destroyed.”
In fling the case against the company at Bangkok South Civil Court with the help of Lawyers Council Mr. Panya Tokthonga, a member Upper Gulf of Thailand Conservation and the Mae Klong Lovers networks, said Samut Songkhram’s aquatic farmers and fishermen are seeking over 2.4 billion baht in damages.
Since the blackchin tilapia were imported by the giant firm from Ghana in 2010 the predator fish rapidly spawned in natural waters and gluttonously devoured other fish, shrimps and small aquatic animals raised by local villagers causing drastic ecological and environmental damage to coastal areas in Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Petchaburi.
Samut Songkhram aquatic farmers first found the blackchin tilapia in 2012 but the impact of the predator fish only turned severe in 2016-2017.
They said they had complained to many offices, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Human Rights Commission, but nothing was done.
The plaintiffs are divided into two groups with aquatic farmers, totalling over a thousand, claiming loss of income at the rate of 10,000 baht per rai per year over seven years (2017-2024) plus another 50,000 baht each for violating their right to use resources. This adds up to around 1,982,000,000 baht. Over 27,000 rai of aquatic farms were affected.
Around 380 fishermen are claiming compensation for loss of income at the rate of 500 baht a day, adding up to 182,500 baht per year, for seven years (2017 – 2024) plus another 50,000 baht each for violating their right to use resources totalling 19 million baht.
The damages claimed by the two groups totals over 2,486,450,000 baht.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Samut Songkhram aquatic farmers and fishermen together with Lawyers Council attorneys at the Bangkok South Civil Court today, Sept. 5, 2024. Photo: TV Channel 7
Insert and Front Page: Some blackchin tilapia fish that villagers caught. Both photos: Naewna
Also read: Lawyers Council to sue CPF, Fisheries Dept for havoc-wreaking blackchin tilapia fish
Invasion of blackchin tilapia could turn out to be international ecological crisis: MPs
Two years in jail for releasing alien fish
