Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Blackchin Tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) - High Risk

Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.

USGS.gov describes S. melanotheron as spreading rapidly and transferring diseases to other fishes. FishBase.org lists S. melanotheron as a Potential Pest, and the United Nations (2010) lists it as having adverse ecological impacts. Additional sources specific to the invasiveness of S. melanotheron could not be found, but many other tilapia species have been described as highly invasive (see “Description of Impacts”).