"Killer" fish invades Iraq’s rivers: What to know about Tilapia
Shafaq News/ In recent years, the appearance of Tilapia in the marshesof southern Iraq has raised concerns, with the fish's origins still unknown.The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that these fish pose asignificant threat to the local ecosystem and native species, including Carpand Barbel.
Tilapia, an invasive species in Iraq’s rivers and water bodies, isbelieved to have entered the country through the Euphrates River from Syria. Ithas since spread across several Iraqi provinces.
The new fish belongs to the Cichlidae family and originates in Africa.It thrives in both freshwater and brackish waters in tropical and subtropicalregions.
What makes Tilapia particularly concerning is its ability to adapt to awide range of environmental conditions, including its resistance to high waterdensity and its ability to survive in low-oxygen environments.
This invasive species presents a major risk to Iraq’s biodiversity,leading to a decline in local fish populations and hindering theirreproduction, which threatens the balance of the food chain, that depends on astable natural equilibrium.
In an interview with Shafaq News, Walid Al-Zurfi, Director of theLivestock Depratement at the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, emphasized that theministry has no involvement in Tilapia farming or its propagation, especiallyas it reproduces independently.
He further explained that "the ministry plans to increase nativefish populations such as various types of Carp, and local species like Catfishand Barbel."
Tilapia has spread across a variety of natural habitats, including harshenvironments where native Iraqi fish cannot survive. This rapid spread isthreatening the presence of indigenous species in Iraq’s water bodies.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture took several measures lastseason, releasing approximately 200 million fish larvae, around 9 million carpfingerlings, and 450,000 local fish. However, the impact has been limited, as"Tilapia consumes the eggs of these fish and competes for food, therebyreducing their numbers," according to Al-Zurfi.
The ministry has no specific information on when tilapia first enteredIraq’s rivers. There are currently efforts to explore the possibility ofcultivating Tilapia for economic benefit.
According to Al-Zurfi, "We will turn to investors to adopt Tilapiafarming."
Tilapia is typically farmed in drainage ditches, which containagricultural runoff, including fertilizers and pesticides that affect thehealth of the fish, particularly their scales, although not their internalbody. Al-Zurfi notes that "the decision to sell Tilapia in the markets isthe responsibility of the Ministry of Health, not the Ministry ofAgriculture."
Fish producers have expressed growing concern over the spread ofTilapia, considering it a foreign species in Iraq’s ecosystems.
Iyad Al-Talebi, head of the Iraqi Fish Producers Association, toldShafaq News that "Tilapia first entered through Basra years ago, spreadingto Nasiriyah, Babil, and other provinces. It is now on the outskirts of riversin Baghdad."
The spread of Tilapia is concentrated in Basra, where it causessignificant pollution, and it reproduces up to four times a year, with eachfish potentially weighing up to 100 grams. While it is not yet widely desiredin the Iraqi market, Tilapia preys on local fish species that are popular forconsumption.
Al-Talebi believed that the local government’s measures have beenineffective, urging the establishment of a Tilapia farming facility to extractprotein for use in animal and fish feed.
On the other hand, some fishermen view Tilapia more positively. Abu Ali,a fisherman from Babil province, sees economic potential in the fish due to thescarcity of local species, particularly since they "disappear in winterand do not appear in the marshes or rivers."
In an interview with Shafaq News, Abu Ali noted that the price ofTilapia ranges from 250 to 500 Dinars ($0.19-0.40), with increasing demand fromlow-income families. "Therefore, I target poorer neighborhoods to sellTilapia there."
While Abu Ali disagreed with the label "killer fish" due toits impact on other fish species, he argued that Tilapia still has nutritionalvalue and "provides a livelihood for many families during the winterseason."
