Ministry Bans Import of Carnivorous "Piranha Fish"

Phnom Penh, August 15, 2023 --

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) has banned the imports and sales of the fierce and carnivorous fish, "Piranha".

According to a press release of MAFF issued on Aug. 13, there has recently been an advertisement on the imports and sales of wild and carnivorous fish on Tiktok and Facebook.

The ministry's Fisheries Administration has also enforced the law among sellers of the fish and reached a deal with them to stop importing and to get rid of their current stock of the fish.

The ministry appreciated the Fisheries Administration for taking timely action and appealed to the public and traders not to import piranhas and other carnivorous fish that could affect natural fish species, humans, animals, and the environment.

The press release also encouraged people to report to the authorities if they knew about the import of piranhas and other feral fish as well as the raising of the fish, if any.