Posted on August, 14 2012

On 31 July 2012, about 1,733 hectares of fishery areas along the Mekong River in Cambodia officially came under the management of local people in Sambor district, Kratie province, after an agreement was made between the Fisheries Administration Cantonment and four community fisheries.

Mr Seang Kin, Kratie Fisheries Administration Cantonment Officer, said that Sambor district, with 80 km along the Mekong River, is a very important site because it contains five dolphin deep pools and many species of fish, reptiles, and birds.

“Due to concerns about destroying natural resources in the area, the government of Cambodia in 2001 cancelled the fishing lots along the Mekong River in Sambor, and the government instead encouraged local people to fish in traditional ways and establish community fisheries to manage the resource,” he added.

Mr Kom Vutha, representative of the four community fisheries, said that community fisheries have implemented a variety of activities to improve the management of fishery resources in the community, including: outreach about fishery law and community fisheries, patrolling and preventing illegal fishing activities, and preventing the cutting and clearing of flooded forest in the conservation area.

“We love our local fishery resource, and therefore we are strongly committed to protect and use it in a sustainable way so that the next generation can benefit from these valuable resources as well,” he added.

Cambodian people along the Mekong River depend largely on fish for protein. However, over-fishing, widespread use of illegal and destructive fishing methods, and the destruction of essential floodplain habitats are rapidly reducing these valuable resources.

Mr. So Socheat, WWF’s Senior Fishery Conservation Officer, said that the strong commitment of local people will result in fish restoration and livelihood improvement but law enforcement is still a big challenge for the four newly established community fisheries.