Iraq’s agriculture ministry rakes measures to control spread of tilapia fish

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture announced on Thursday a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of tilapia fish in the country’s waters, including plans to issue fishing licenses specifically targeting this invasive species.

Hatem Faisal Al-Jubouri, Deputy Director-General for Fisheries at the Animal Resources Department, told the Iraqi News Agency that “there are currently three types of tilapia spreading in Iraqi waters: Aureus tilapia, Nile Tilapia, and Redbelly tilapia. The latter was first observed in 2005 in Musayyib, Babylon, particularly in the warm waters near a power generation station.”

Al-Jubouri explained that tilapia thrive in warm water environments and their initial spread was not flagged during a 2008 meeting of agricultural directorates in southern regions.

“The Nile tilapia can grow to a maximum weight of approximately 400 grams, but it is not desirable in Iraq due to its rapid reproduction rate—up to four times a year—and its ability to withstand poor water quality,” he said.

He further warned that these three types of tilapia pose a significant environmental threat due to their rapid reproduction and competition with native fish species for food resources. This not only disrupts the ecosystem but also negatively impacts local fish populations.

To address the issue, Al-Jubouri proposed that fishing licenses be issued specifically for catching tilapia, suggesting that the fish could be processed into fish protein meal to derive economic and agricultural benefits.