Awareness Urged To Prevent Tilapia Spread
14 January 2004

The Department of Primary Industries is urging the public to be on the look out for the noxious fish tilapia and help prevent the spread of this pest species.

The Queensland Fisheries Service (QFS) is encouraging people to report any suspected findings of tilapia, a declared noxious fish species.

QFS fisheries biologist Aimee Burton said tilapia could threaten native fish populations and the environment and were able to dominate waterways due to their highly efficient reproductive strategies, simple food requirements and flexible habitat preferences.

Ms Burton said although noxious fish such as tilapia had established populations in a number of river systems throughout Queensland there were still many catchments that were tilapia free.

In North Queensland, the Johnstone, Barron, Mulgrave-Russell and Black catchments are infested with tilapia while catchments such as the Tully and Murray are thought to be tilapia free.

Ms Burton said it was vital tilapia were not introduced into these catchments as eradicating established populations was unlikely.

“People need to act responsibly to prevent tilapia spreading further throughout Queensland waterways,” she said.

“More often than not members of the public introduce the fish to waterways not realising the environmental damage they can cause.

“For example, some people use tilapia as bait which even when dead have the potential to spread.”

Ms Burton said the danger was some species such as Mozambique mouthbrooders hatched their eggs inside their mouths with the eggs and fry able to remain alive for a period of time.

“Even when the fish is dead the eggs and fry remain alive and can escape when the fish is disposed of,” she said.

Ms Burton said to help prevent the spread of tilapia, any fish caught should be disposed of away from the waterway.

If they need to be identified, they should be humanely killed by being placed in an ice slurry and frozen.

She said mozambique mouthbrooders were pale olive to silver grey with two to five dark blotches on their sides.

They could grow to more than 40cm and breeding males became almost black with red edging on their fins.

Fines of up to $150,000 apply to people in possession of tilapia or using them as bait, live or dead.

Anyone who thinks they may have found a tilapia should contact the DPI Call Centre on 13 25 23.

Department of Primary Industries Media Unit
GPO Box 46 Brisbane Qld 4001 Ph 07 3239 6380
DPI Call Centre 13 25 23 (weekdays 8 am to 6 pm)

Further information: Aimee Burton (07) 3239 0727
Communications Officer: Liz Smith (07) 3224 7757

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