Tilapias are an important group of fish native to Africa which contributes to food supply in many areas of the world. While there is a significant increase in production of tilapias globally over the past two decades, there also exist some controversies that tilapias cause considerable environmental and biodiversity damage. In this manuscript, a broad analysis of the overall contribution that tilapias made and the impacts they caused to the Asia-Pacific region is presented. The manuscript depicts the benefits of responsible use of alien species such as tilapias for improving the quality of life of rural poor.
