Public awareness is equally important. A national campaign should communicate a simple message: do not release exotic fish into natural waters. Many people do not intend to cause harm but may release fish because they can no longer care for them, because the fish have outgrown their tanks, or because they do not know what else to do. The government should continuously communicate that exotic fish should not be released into rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, or the sea because they may become a problem for entire ecosystems. A return or surrender system for unwanted aquatic pets should also be established.
At the same time, the ornamental fish industry should not be treated as a problem in itself. Many operators comply with the law and possess significant technical expertise. The government should support responsible operators through certification systems such as green ornamental fish shops, farms free from prohibited species, traceability systems, biosecurity standards, and training for sellers and breeders. Such measures would give responsible businesses a competitive advantage while reducing the space for illegal markets.
For Thailand, the strategic direction should be to shift from reactive control after outbreaks occur to preventive governance before problems arise. This could include establishing a national surveillance center for non-native aquatic species, creating a national database of imported ornamental and exotic fish, implementing QR-based traceability for importers and shops, increasing penalties for illegal importation of prohibited aquatic species, developing DNA barcoding laboratories at key checkpoints, collaborating with online platforms, and building a reporting network involving citizens, anglers, farms, and academics.
In conclusion, illegal importation of ornamental and exotic fish, together with the broader cross-border movement of aquatic species, is a shared challenge faced by many countries, including the United States, Europe, Brazil, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. The core issue is not to prohibit the ornamental fish trade, but to ensure that trade is legal, transparent, traceable, and does not impose long-term costs on nature.
The blackchin tilapia case should therefore be used as a lesson to upgrade national biosecurity, traceability, and digital enforcement systems. If Thailand can build a strong and modern governance framework, it will be better able to balance the growth of the ornamental fish industry, the responsibility of operators, and the long-term protection of national biodiversity.
