2005 Progress Report
Fisheries Programme
The Fisheries Programme aims to manage the productive Mekong
fisheries in order to sustain their high economic output for
the generations of Lower Mekong Basin communities to come.
The programme undertakes research on capture fisheries, manages
river and reservoir fisheries, promotes aquaculture of indigenous
Mekong fish species and trains fisheries managers. It also disseminates
a wide range of information to policy makers and planners in
the member countries to better enable stakeholders, riparian
governments and the MRC to carry out development planning and
management.
The Fisheries Programme maintains four central components:
- Programme Management and Communication
- Fisheries Management and Governance
- Fisheries Ecology, Valuation and Mitigation
- Aquaculture of Indigenous Mekong Fish Species
The Fisheries Programme is now moving into Phase 2 of its operation,
following a successful and positive appraisal by donors in April-May
2005. The programme was deemed to be making a significant contribution
to the future sustainability of the fishery resources of the
LMB.
Some major achievements for the Fisheries Programme in 2005
included:
- The production of reports on fish migration patterns (focused
on documenting local knowledge of fish migration) in several
formats. The programme has also cooperated with other agencies
using hydro-acoustic techniques to monitor the use of deep
pools by fish, confirming their importance as refuge habitats
during the dry season.
- The strengthening of river and reservoir fisheries co-management
capacity of all participating institutions, fishers and other
local water resource users.
- The testing and development of economically feasible culture
techniques. The priority has been on nine indigenous species
selected for their potential to replace alien species in small-scale
aquaculture. The programme also developed an aquaculture database
on small-scale aquaculture in Cambodia that allows economic
comparison of farming alien or indigenous species.
- The sponsorship of a highly successful visit by senior
officials from the Thailand Department of Fisheries (DOF)
to the Cambodian Department of Fisheries in January 2005.
The visit included field sites in the Tonle Sap and Great
Lake area. A second Thai DOF delegation also visited Cambodian
fisheries in February.
- Implementation of the Technical Advisory Body (TAB) work
plan. This included the commissioning of three regional studies:
Triggers to Fish Migration, Gender in Fisheries, and Livelihoods
in Aquatic Resource Management. The TAB has also published
a brochure describing its work, several issues of a "TAB Update"
newsletter as well as a series of Managment Recommendations
for various fisheries issues.
- A successful annual meeting on Gender in Fisheries in Ho
Chi Minh City in March 2005. The meeting developed a report
on the role of gender in fisheries in the Lower Mekong
Basin and other targeted activities to heighten awareness
of women's roles in fisheries management and development.
- The publication of important communications products including:
a report titled Inland Fisheries of Cambodia (the fourth publication
in the MRC Development Series); proceedings of the 6th Mekong
Fisheries Technical Series; Fisheries Information CD Version
2; three issues of Catch and Culture in English and one compilation
issue in each of the four riparian languages; and a poster
series featuring fisheries work from each country.
- Close and successful involvement with the Integrated Basin
Flow Management project being implemented by the Water Utilisation
Programme. This included the production of a specialist fisheries
report.
- The Fisheries programme was also pleased to report that
in the 2004-2005 fishing season the Tonle Sap dai fishery
recorded the highest yield in the 10 years the fishery has
been monitored. A contributing factor is thought to be a vigorous
campaign mounted by the Cambodian Department of Fisheries
against illegal fishing in 2004.
As part of its work for 2006, the FP has plans to: prepare
for its Programme Phase 2; organise a fisheries management training
course and study tour; produce a report on the fisheries of
NE Thailand; increase the number of publications in riparian
languages; publish a Vietnamese "Fishing Gears" book, produce
films on fisheries in the Vietnamese delta, Lao PDR and Thailand
and produce a major report on fisheries of the entire Mekong
Delta.