Eat Invasive Speices: Almond Tilapia

Tilapias, more often than not, are not the sustainable seafood solution they are often claimed to be.

Tilapia are harmful invasive species in many parts of the world, such as central America and parts of Africa and Asia.  Growing global consumer demand for tilapia provides strong economic incentives to farm these fish in many new locations.  It's largely impossible to prevent their escape, leading to invasions.  

Without good legislation combating the spread of harmful species like tilapias, invasions will continue to be substantial economic externalities for meals like this farm-raised Honduran tilapia. Good legislation, however, begins with awareness. So in that spirit, invasivore.org presents yet another way to Eat Invasive Species. 

Step 1 Harvest Invasive Tilapia

We of course, suggest harvesting invasive tilapia yourself.  

Invasivore.org gives some collection techniques, which we pass on to you here, and a draft distribution map .  Other distribution maps and collection locations can be found at the USGS .

Tilapia can be caught with a fishing pole using worms but I’ve also had success with spinners.  Other reports bait such as bread-balls, dog food and even bits of hot-dogs.

Cast-nets can be effective in areas where tilapias build nests, which are easy to spot.   A tilapia nest looks like a mud volcano or caldera sometimes up to meter across.  In the picture, we are setting a gillnet to collect invasive Nile tilapia on the Kafue River, Zambia.  
Check local regulations for harvesting regulations.