Catch Culture vol11.1 - Mekong River Commission · Financing for Lao dam signed Breeding the...

INSIDE

Tonle Sap yields record haul

Harvesting insects in Cambodia

Shrimp hit by duties on dumping

Financing for Lao dam signed

Breeding the experts of the future

Volume 11, No. 1 ISSN 0859-290X May 2005

Fisheries Research and Development in the Mekong Region

Catch and Culture is published three times a year by the Mekong River Commission Secretariat inVientaine, Lao PDR and distributed to over 650 subscribers around the world. Free emailsubscriptions to Catch and Culture are available through the MRC website, www.mrcmekong.orgFor information on the cost of hard-copy subscriptions, contact the MRC's Documentation Centreby email to [email protected]

Contributions to Catch and Culture may be sent to [email protected]

Mekong River Commission 2005

Editorial panel

Dr Chris Barlow, Fisheries Programme Manager

Dr Suchart Ingthamjitr, Fisheries Programme Officer

Khamtanh Vatthanatham, Fisheries Programme Officer

Virginia Addison, MRC Secretariat Communications Officer

Editor: Peter Starr

Design and cover illustration: Sawaddh So, Phannavanh Anoulack

C

F i s h e r i e s

Tonle Sap yieldsrecord haul

Catches from the Tonle Sap bagnet (or dai) fisheryhave soared to more than 16,000 tonnes this year,almost three times the previous season's haul and thehighest since systematic records started to be kept.The record catch from the fishery, which targets a smallcyprinid species known as trey riel in Khmer,accompanied higher water levels on the Tonle Sap butmay also reflect a reduction in illegal fishing.

Catch and Culture Volume 11, No. 1 May 2005 3.

By Kent Hortle, Ngor Pengbun, Hem Rady and Lieng Sopha

The catch in 2004-05 from the daifishery in the Tonle Sap was the

largest for 10 years. The high floodcontributed to the increased catch,

but other factors must also beinvolved.

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Figure 1. Bagnet catches and peak water levels in the Tonle SapWater level is for Phnom Penh Port which is well correlated with levels elsewhere in the Tonle Sap and Great

Lake. Bagnets, or dai, are similar to trawl nets and are suspended in one location. Each dai is about 25 metreswide and 120 metres long, extending a few metres to the river bed.

The 2004-5 season had 65 dais in 13 rows.

F i s h e r i e s

In 2003, light rainfall and lower flood levels sharplyreduced fish production, a situation exacerbated byillegal fishing during the closed season (see Catch andCulture, April 2004). As a result, the bagnet catchduring the 2003-4 season plunged to barely 6,000tonnes, the lowest since systematic monitoring beganin 1994-5.

In 2004, flood levels were slightly above averageand the Tonle Sap's productionrebounded. Catches fromanother bagnet fishery insoutheast Cambodia (targettinga separate cyprinid speciesknown as trey linh) were alsomuch higher, and anecdotessuggest generally good catchesthroughout Cambodia duringthe 2004-5 season. This hasbeen good for bagnet owners,gill-net fishers and fish buyers(but maybe not for Laofishermen in the Khone Fallsarea - see accompanying articleon page 7).

Based on flood levels alone, therecord bagnet catch was higherthan expected (see Figure 1).One possible cause for the very

high catch could be greater production of fish on thefloodplains upstream due to a reduction in illegalfishing. Despite limited funding, Cambodia'sDepartment of Fisheries carried out a major campaignof education and enforcement in 2004. Educationincluded billboards on fishing regulations, news items,and support for community fisheries. Illegal geardestroyed included more than 21,000 fine-mesh fykenets, more than 7,000 electro-fishing units and more

4 May 2005 Catch and Culture Volume 11, No. 1.

Figure 2. Fyke nets have long leading armsor wings which direct the fish into the trap.

An aerial view of a row of bagnets, or dais, in the Tonle Sap near Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

F i s h e r i e s


than 2,000 kilometres of fences, known as saiyouen orlu sbai mong.

In recent years, fine-mesh fyke nets have increasinglybeen used on Cambodia's floodplains (Figure 2). Madefrom mosquito netting with a two-millimetre mesh, theycatch a wide range of species at very small sizesbefore they can grow. Most of the tiny fish are sold tofeed snakeheads (Channa spp.) and other carnivorousfishes grown in aquaculture farms. The Department ofFisheries is introducing a ban on the use of wild-caughtfish as feed in aquaculture, as one step in ensuringwise use of the natural fisheries resources. Althoughthe ban does not come into effect until June this year,it may have already had some effect in reducingdemand for small fish for feed.

The bagnet season runs from October to March andpeak catches are usually in January, when most fishmigrate down the Tonle Sap. During the latest season,however, the peak - about two thirds of the total - wasin December. Hydrographs did not show any featureswhich might explain the earlier migration (Figure 3).

The flood peak, for example, was September 25 whichwas in line with the long-term average.

Word of the high catches in December spread quickly,and thousands of villagers arrived in small boats fromthroughout Cambodia's lowlands. Although suchseasonal fishers arrive each year, this season wasnotable for their high density the Tonle Sap. Thesesmall and middle-scale fishers were surveyed inJanuary, when it was estimated that over 7,000 boatswere fishing on the Tonle Sap and around the MekongJunction. Most were using drifting gill nets, with someusing larger gears such as seines and trawls. The totalcatch from these boats was estimated at between4,000 and 5,000 tonnes in February, a similar amountto the bagnet catch that month.

The increasing importance of the Tonle Sap fishery toCambodia's economy can be judged from Figure 4,which shows the increasing price of trey riel, the mostabundant fish in the bagnet fishery. Despite the veryhigh catches this season, prices fell very little, showingthat demand is accelerating. Not only does

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Figure 3. Daily water levels of the Tonle Sap (1995-2004)Data from Phnom Penh Port. The horizontal line shows mean levels based on a 31-day period around the peak.

Cambodia's population continue to grow, but traderoutes to Thailand and Viet Nam are improving,allowing increased exports of fish.

The results from monitoring the bagnet fishery duringthe latest season show a great improvement in thecatch, perhaps partly as a result of improvedenforcement and management. Maintaining thesystematic monitoring is essential, as it provides the

only reliable long-term data that can show trends in theTonle Sap fisheries. However, it is important that othermonitoring is also carried out as fishers using manyother gears also make large catches. An annual censusof seasonal fishers should be considered as animportant adjunct to the bagnet data which arecollected by staff of the Cambodian Department ofFisheries in conjunction with the Mekong RiverCommission.


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Figure 4.Prices for trey riel (Henicorhynchus spp.)Based on samples from the Tonle Sap bagnet catch, the upper line shows actual prices each season. The lower line shows

prices in equivalent 1995 riel, adjusted for inflation. In 2004, 4,000 riel was equivalent to about US$1.

Catch and Culture Volume 11, No. 1 May 2005 7

I n s e c t t r a p p i n g

F i s h e r i e s


Are the Tonle and KhoneFalls fisheries linked?By Peter Starr

While the record catch is good news for bagnetoperators on the Tonle Sap, Lao fishermen in theKhone Falls area are not celebrating. Anecdotalevidence from a recent visit to the Khong district inChampasak province indicates that this year's catch ofsmall carp is down sharply. While the bagnet fisheryuses nets similar to trawl nets suspended in onelocation, the Lao fishermen 400 kilometres upstreamuse a different method to target the same species. Asthey move upstream from Cambodia, migrating fish canhit obstacles such as steep waterfalls and rapids in theKhone Falls area. Fence-filter traps, known as tone,catch the fish as they move back downstream in searchof one of the few channels that can be passed duringthe dry season.

Ian Baird, a fisheries biologist who conducted researchin the Khong district during the nineties, reckons thesuccess of the Lao fishery could be "stronglyinfluenced" by how many fish are caught in bagnets inCambodia. Baird, who now runs the Global Associationfor People and the Environment in the southern Laocity of Pakse, calculated that the peak catch for thefence-filter trap was usually about three weeks after thepeak bagnet catch in Cambodia.

In a paper* published two years ago, he noted thatparticularly high bagnet catches in Cambodia coincidedwith low to moderate fence-filter trap catches in theKhone Falls area in 1995 and 1998. During the twointervening years, the Cambodian catches were lowand the Lao catches were high. And although bothwere low in 1999, the bagnet catch was the worst in fiveyears while the catch from fence-filter traps was higherthan the previous year.

Baird also noted that accounts of an extraordinaryabundance of fish in the Khone Falls area between1975 and 1978 coincided with a Khmer Rouge ban oncommercial fishing and severe limitations onsubsistence fishing. Although the biologist concedesthat the data from 1995 to 1999 is not conclusive, henotes that Lao villagers have long believed that thehealth of the cyprinid fishery at the Khone Falls is"largely dependent on what happens downriver inCambodia."

In such an environment, Baird highlights the need forregional cooperation to ensure that countries don'tadversely affect the fisheries of other countries."Cambodia needs to make sure that Laos and Thailandget their fair share of migrating small cyprinids. On theother hand, the Lao and the Thais need to avoidimpacting on hydrological cycles that influence naturalprocesses downriver, or extracting too much water, oremitting too much pollution into the river system. If allcountries in the basin do not cooperate to prevent andsolve these critical problems, everyone is likely tosuffer."

The evidence is not conclusive, but itlooks like Cambodia's bagnet catch

may have an influence on the fortunesof Lao villagers hundreds of

kilometres away

* Rythms of the River: Lunar Phases and Migrations of SmallCarps (Cyprinidae) in the Mekong River; National History Bulletinof the Siam Society 51 (1), 2003



Harvesting insects - a growing industry inCambodia

By Kent Hortle, Roth Troueng, Joe Garrison and Greg Cans

It's not exactly fishing. Nor is it farming. But using lightsto trap aquatic insects is rapidly developing across theTonle Sap flood plains of northwestern Cambodia. Inthis annually-flooded landscape of ricefields andcanals, thousands of villagers are now using ultravioletlights each night to attract millions of insects to traps.The larger edible insects are boiled, sorted and sold asfood. Common aquatic insects include water beetles(Dytiscidae) and giant water bugs (Belostomatidae).Both are considered delicacies, and are particularlypopular as snacks with alcohol. Among the terrestrialinsects commonly consumed there are grasshoppers(Acrididae), crickets (Gryllidae) and mole crickets(Gryllotalpidae).

Although insects have always featured in theCambodian diet, harvesting them has become a majorindustry with the advent of cheap ultraviolet blacklights, which are highly effective in attracting insects,and the ready availability of portable generators. Suchcommercial light-trapping seems to have started nearBattambang about six years ago.

Villagers first used the lights to attract insects to

aquaculture ponds to feed fish, and then decided totarget the large edible species. Where a light is beingused for "fishing", insects strike a sheet of plastic andfall into a plastic bath of water. In such a trap, evenaquatic insects cannot escape, as they cannot climbthe slippery sides to dry their wings.

Thuok Thouet of Chrey Tmei village is a typical insectfisher, the son of rice farmers. He owns no land, sorecently started catching insects in the hope of earningmore than he does as a mechanic. Up to 40 otherinsect-fishers operate in his district alone. Thouet hasmade 60 traps and spreads them over a distance ofmore than one kilometre. He bought a second-hand5,000 watt generator to power the 60 lights via a longcable. The traps are set out each night and the insects

Portable generators and ultravioletlights are transforming the traditionalharvesting of insects into a major new

industry in Cambodia's northwest

Insects are attracted to the light, hit the white sheetand drop into the water-filled collecting tray



are collected each morning. At the peak time inDecember, he catches up to 80 kilograms of insectseach night. This falls to less than three kilograms anight in March as the hot dry season withers thesurrounding ricefields, but catches increase againwhen the wet season starts in May.

Mouen Sithak of Piam Ek village in Battambang gotinvolved in the industry only in late 2004. He needs tosupplement the income his wife earns from selling localproduce to support their four children. His mother wasa trader so he understood the business and couldimmediately earn money without large investments. Hebuys 20 to 50 kilograms of insects every day. InDecember, when many insects were being caught, hewas paying between 27 and 40 cents a kilo. But assupplies dwindled during the dry season, he waspaying $1.20 a kilo in March. He sells the insects tolocal retailers who can sell them for up to $2.00 a kilo.Other traders take much larger quantities, up to 1,000kilograms a day, across the border at Poipet intoThailand, where prices are higher.

The industry is in its infancy, with no accurateinformation on the species composition of catches northeir size and value. The industry is even difficult toclassify. As some aquatic species are targeted it ranksas some kind of a fishery, but clearly it is within othersectors also. The industry's impact on theenvironments from which large numbers of insects arebeing removed is not clear. Presumably, rice farmerswould welcome insect-fishing as one way of controllingpests and aquaculturists would not lament the removalof large predatory bugs. But the effect of large-scaleinsect removal from fields prior to annual flooding mustbe deleterious for any insect-feeding fish which arrivewith the flood.

Insects are nutritious and rank with fish as a source ofprotein. The Institute of Nutrition at Thailand's MahidolUniversity estimates that the edible tissues of insectscontain up to 20 percent protein. Why insects are notmore widely eaten in western countries "is purecaprice", according to the author of a study on Indianinsects. "Mankind eats many curious things, including

oysters, shrimps, whelks and cockles, dried sea slugsand birds' nests … and yet there is an absurd prejudiceagainst insects." This prejudice is not apparent in Asiawhere insects are widely eaten, with the practice welldocumented in Viet Nam and Thailand. But little hasbeen published about the industry in Cambodia.

Further reading:

De Foliart, G.R. (2005). The human use of insects as a foodresource: a bibliographic account in progress. www.food-insects.com.

Maxwell-Lefroy, H. (1971). Indian Insect Pests. Today andTomorrow's Printers and Publishers, New Delhi. 318 pp.

Puwastien, P., M. Raroengwichit, P. Sungpuag and K.Judprasong (1999). Thai Food Composition Tables. Instituteof Nutrition, Mahidol University. 150 pp.

Note: it is interesting that most insects do not actually fly towards lights, but attempt to use lightsto navigate by keeping them at a constant position in their eyesight, as they would the moon orstars. The effect is that insects spiral into lights!

Insects for sale in the market in Battambang, northwestern Cambodia

P r o t e c t i o n i s m


Shrimp hit by duties ondumping By Peter Starr

The United States announced in January anti-dumpingduties on imports of shrimp from Thailand and VietNam following a year-long investigation. The ruling bythe International Trade Commission (ITC) also affectedBrazil, China, India and Ecuador. In late April, however,the commission announced "changed circumstances"reviews for Thailand and India following the Decembertsunami which devastated many shrimp-farmingcommunities across the region.

In its January ruling, the commission found that non-canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from the sixcountries were being sold at "less than fair value" in theUnited States. Such imports "materially injured" thelocal shrimping industry centered on the southernstates along the Gulf of Mexico which formed analliance to initiate the claim.

In reviewing the cases of Thailand and India, thecommission said there were "sufficient changedcircumstances" but stressed that the reviews did notnecessarily mean that the anti-dumping orders wouldbe revoked. The final decision, it said, involveddetermining whether revoking the orders was likely tolead to continued or recurring material injury to theshrimp industry in the United States.

The shrimp task force of the Consuming IndustriesTrade Action Coalition and the American Seafood

Distributors Association noted that the anti-dumpingaction under the so-called Byrd Amendment was illegalunder international trade law. "The way that thedumping law is being applied in the shrimp case issimply wrong, counter-productive and anti-consumer,"said task force chairman Wally Stevens, who is alsopresident of the distributors association.

Stevens noted that the Byrd Amendment, also knownas the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act,funnelled revenues from anti-dumping duties directlyinto the pockets of those seeking protection. The WorldTrade Organisation (WTO) has declared such"corporate welfare" illegal and authorised retaliation bymembers until the law is repealed. The anti-dumpingduties on Viet Nam, which is not yet a WTO member,range from 4.13 percent to 25.76 percent. Those onThailand are from 5.79 percent to 6.82 percent. TheUnited States took similar anti-dumping action againstVietnamese catfish in 2003. Viet Nam is still negotiatingits accession to the WTO, which is scheduled to hold itsministerial conference in Hong Kong in December.

The United States uses a controversiallaw to protect its shrimping industryfrom foreign competitors including

Thailand and Viet Nam

A shrimp pond in the Mekong Delta being dried after harvest

H y d r o p o w e r


Financing for Lao damsignedBy Peter Starr

The World Bank, along with other public and privatelenders and guarantors, has signed the remainingfinancing agreements for a $1.25 billion hydroelectricdam project in Lao PDR. The signing in Hong Kong on3 May 2005 followed an executive board meeting inWashington in March which approved the World Bank'srole in the Nam Theun 2 project.

The bank's International Development Association(IDA) is extending a $20 million grant to finance the LaoGovernment's 25 percent stake in Nam Theun 2 PowerCo. (NTPC). It is also providing a partial risk guarantee

in the form of a 40-year credit of $50 million to lower theproject's risk profile for commercial lenders. In addition,the World's Bank's Multilateral Investment GuaranteeAgency has agreed to provide up to $200 million inguarantee coverage to protect the project sponsor andprivate commercial lenders against potential politicalrisks associated with the Nam Theun 2.

The financing agreements pave the way for NTPC toborrow up to $1 billion to undertake the project whichincludes environmental and social mitigationmeasures, costs associated with unanticipatedimpacts, and external monitoring and evaluationarrangements. NTPC has also committed an additional$200 million in contingency financing.

NTPC is 35 percent-owned by Electricité de Francesubsidiary EDF International with the Lao Governmentand Thailand's Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd.holding 25 percent each. The remaining 15 percent isheld by Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd. Aproject agreement, also signed in Hong Kong, confirmsthe obligations of NTPC and its partners in relation tothe project's technical, social and environmentalaspects.

Bernard Tribollet, the company's chief executive,reiterated that the signing of the agreements signalledNTPC's commitment to "full compliance" with theproject's social and environmental risk-mitigation plansprepared over the past 10 years.

Somboune Manolom, permanent secretary of the LaoMinistry of Industry and Handicrafts, said thegovernment was committed to ensuring that the projectadhered to World Bank criteria. In addition to mitigatingsocial and environmental risks, he highlightedcontinued involvement of local communities, regularcommunication with international stakeholders and the

The ambitious Nam Theun 2hydropower project on two Mekong

tributaries in Lao PDR carriessignificant risks, but the World Bank

and the ADB say they can bemanaged - as long as the project is

overseen properly.

The Nakai-Nam Theun 2 National Biodiversity Conservation Area Photos courtesy of Nam Theun 2 Power Co

H y d r o p o w e r


need to ensure that project revenues are "transparentlymanaged and directed towards priority poverty-reduction and environmental programs.”

The World Bank expects the project to provide thecountry with additional revenue of $150 million a year,allowing it to boost spending on basic health andeducation by as much as 30 percent when it startsoperating in 2009. The 1,070-megawatt plant will be thebiggest hydropower plant in the Lower Mekong Basin,surpassing the 720-megawatt Yali Falls plant on the SeSan tributary in Viet Nam.

Too cautious?Following board approval of the Nam Theun financingarrangements in March, outgoing World Bank presidentJames Wolfensohn said the bank had made it clearafter talks with the Lao government and the developersthat "we all share the responsibility" for the project. "Wehave spent the best part of a decade studying theproject and evaluating the risks," said Wolfensohn, whovisited the Lao project area in February. "In fact, wehave been advised by some independent experts thatwe studied it for too long and been too focused onpossible risks.

"Because it involves the resettlement of people,because it impacts on not one but two rivers andbecause it is so vital for the future of the country, webelieve these risks need the utmost attention. Ourdecision, after a lot of deliberation, is that the risks canbe managed. In fact, one of the reasons we areinvolved is to help manage those risks." Jemal-ud-dinKassum, the bank's regional vice president for EastAsia and the Pacific, added that the World Bank wouldcontinue to encourage public discussion and scrutiny."Our involvement does not stop with the signing of theguarantee. That is when it really starts," he said.

Haruhiko Kuroda, president of the Asian DevelopmentBank, said the approval of the project marked a"milestone" in Lao development planning. "If managedproperly and effectively, it has great potential to bringlarge and lasting benefits to the people," he said. In astatement released in April, the Manila-based banknoted that stakeholders had raised concerns about theLao Government's lack of experience with such big

projects and its ability to carry out the project effectivelyand transparently. "These concerns are recognised bythe international financial institutions supporting theproject, including ADB, as important and significantrisks to the long-term project success," the statementsaid. "These risks are manageable with substantial andcareful oversight."

The ADB is supporting the project with a $50 millionprivate-sector loan, a $20 million public-sector loan anda political risk guarantee of up to $50 million inmaximum liabilities. The bank estimates that the projectwill generate about $1.9 billion in taxes, royalties anddividends for the Lao Government over the 25-yearoperating period. Most of the electricity, about 5,354gigawatt hours a year, will be exported to Thailand withup to 300 gigawatt hours supplied to Lao consumersevery year.

Although the Nam Theun 2 will be the biggesthydropower plant in the lower basin at 1,070megawatts, it will be much smaller than other plantsacross the mainstream of the Mekong in China. Theinstalled capacity of the Manwan plant commissionedin 1993 is 1,500 megawatts while the capacity of theDachaoshan plant commissioned in 2001 is 1,350megawatts. China announced in 2002 that it hadstarted building an even bigger 4,200-megawatt plantknown as Xiaowan, expected to be commissionedbetween 2010 and 2012.

Locals rely on the Xe Bang Fai for food and water.

P u b l i c f o r u m


Call for regional information system

A public forum on fisheries in northeast Cambodia hasurged regional governments to set up an informationand communications system for people living in theMekong basin. The call followed a two-day meeting of180 representatives of river communities fromCambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand. The NortheastCambodia Fishery Forum, held in Stung Treng inFebruary, focussed on fisheries in the Se San, Se Kongand Sre Pok rivers. Stretching across northeastCambodia, southern Lao PDR and the centralhighlands of Vietnam, these three rivers are among theMekong's largest tributaries and together account foralmost a fifth of the river's total water discharge.

In a declaration, the meeting asserted that water qualityand levels of the Mekong and its tributaries had"seriously changed" in recent years, reducing both thequantity of fish and the types of species. Problemsincluded the construction of dams, illegal fishing andthe destruction of flooded forest areas. "Thegovernments should establish a regional informationand communications system, ensuring that theinformation is easily accessible for people living in theMekong basin," the declaration said.

Touch Seang Tana, Secretary of State at Cambodia'sCouncil of Ministers, acknowledged the need forinformation sharing. He agreed that hydroelectric damswere affecting fish populations along with other factorssuch as modern fishing gear and the catching offingerlings. "There is a lot of illegal fishing inCambodia," he told the forum.

Asked about the impact of dams on the Se San River,the secretary of state questioned the accuracy of areport based on local research, noting that the figureswere not clear. "When some officials visited theaffected area, information obtained from the villagerswas not as high as in the report. The government has apolicy of cooperation with neighbouring countries.When the government talks to another country,documentary evidence at hand is needed," he said."We need all the information out on the table."

Seang Tana, who is a member of the Economic, Socialand Cultural Observation Unit at the Council ofMinisters, also stressed the need for realisticapproaches to cross-border issues. "It's difficult topursue the decommissioning of dams," he said, notingthat dam construction cost millions of dollars. On theother hand, "electricity is poor in Cambodia and greatersupply is needed. We have to make choices."

They may not always see eye to eye,but river communities and the

Cambodian Government agree on onething - the need for more

communication

By Peter Starr

F i s h e r i e s t h e s e s


Programme breeds theexperts of the future

The Fisheries Programme of the Mekong RiverCommission has 100-110 "counterparts" in the fisheriesagencies of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet

Nam. All are engaged in field work on managing anddeveloping fisheries and aquaculture in the LowerMekong Basin.

Although support for post-graduate scholarshipsstopped in 2002 due to funding restrictions, indirectsupport continues with counterparts using theirfieldwork to complete or further their academic studies.This is an important part of the programme's multi-faceted approach to capacity building and supportingthe career aspirations of staff.

Congratulations are in order for the impressive work bydozens of counterparts who have completed their

Fisheries staff from around the regionare using fieldwork with the Mekong

River Commission to complete orfurther their academic studies

By Chris Barlow

Chea Tharit (seen here sampling fish larvae in the Mekong River near Phnom Penh)used the data from his studies for a Ph.D. from Nha Trang University.



theses while with the programme. Others arecontinuing their studies at universities in the region aswell as Australia and Denmark. We wish them everysuccess.

Among those to have completed theses while with theprogramme are:

So Nam, Cambodia, 2001-2005, Ph.D.Molecular genetic evidence for sympatric reproductiveisolation of two large migratory catfishes in theMekong River. Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.This thesis examines the genetics of two commerciallyimportant catfish species, Pangasianodonhypophthalmus and Pangasius bocourti. In English.

Chea Tharith, Cambodia, 2000-2005, Ph.D.A study of fish larvae and juveniles in the Tonle SapRiver. Nha Trang University, Viet Nam. The study isabout the identification of fish larvae and fry from theTonle Sap, Mekong and Bassac Rivers with informationon the annual patterns of drift. In Vietnamese.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, Viet Nam, 2001-2005, Ph.D.Assessment of species composition of fish larvae andfry at Vinh Xuong and Quoc Thai in the Mekong River.Institute of Oceanography, Nha Trang, Viet Nam. Thethesis covers assessment of the catches from largedais which targeted the fry of Pangasiid catfish. InVietnamese.

Sinthavong Viravong, Lao PDR, 2001-2004, Ph.D.Life history strategies of four Mekong fish species(Henicorhychus siamensis, Probarbus jullieni,Helicophagus waandersii and Botia modesta). HullUniversity, United Kingdom. This study usesinformation based on local ecological knowledge andother surveys to compare the ecology of four commonMekong fish species. In English.

Tuantong Jutagate, Thailand, 1998-2002, Ph.D.Thai river sprat: biology and management in SirinthornReservoir, Thailand. Deakin University, Faculty ofScience and Technlogy, Australia. In English.

Phan Dinh Phuc, Vietnam, 2002-2004. M.Sc. (nowcompleting Ph.D.)Application of fishery data and aspects of the biology ofmajor species in the management of fisheries in sixinland water bodies in the Central Highlands ofVietnam. Deakin University, Australia. In English.

Douangkham Singhanouvong, Lao PDR, 2001-2002, M.Sc.Stage one of the Fishery Impact Assessment (FIA) ofthe fishery resources of the lower Xe Bang Fai River.Aalborg University, Denmark. Background informationfrom prior studies related to dam projects in Lao PDRwas applied to assess the impact of the proposed NamTheun 2. In English

Pham Mai Phuong, Viet Nam, 2002-2004, M.Sc.Managing fish larvae/juveniles in the Mekong Delta ofViet Nam. Tromso University, Norway. This thesisexamined the implications for fisheries management ofthe data from the large commercial dais for catfish fry.In English.

Prak Leang Hour, Cambodia, 2002-2004, M.Sc.Fish yield assessment by habitat: Small lakes,grassland and swamp in Kompong Chhnang Province,Cambodia. Royal University of Agriculture, PhnomPenh. Three natural habitats were compared and thestanding crop in each was assessed by completeremoval as an estimate of possible yield. In Khmer.

Trung Ha Phuong, Vietnam, 1997-1998, M.Sc. Assessment and preliminary trials of nursing commoncarp in cages in Ea Kao Reservoir, Vietnam. AsianInstitute of Technology, Bangkok. In English.

Sommano Phounsavath, Lao PDR, 1997-1998,M.Sc.Co-management at Nam Ngum Reservoir, Lao PDR.Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. In English.

Malasri Khumsri, Thailand, 2001-2002, M.Sc.Fisheries co-management in Sirindhorn Reservoir,Ubon Ratchathani Province in Thailand: A case studyon the river sprat (Clupeichthys aesarnensis) Fishery.Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. In English.

Holl Tharine, Cambodia, 2002-2004, M.Sc.Comparison of different generations of L. hoevenii inconditions of propagation and nursing. Royal Universityof Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences. PhnomPenh. In Khmer.

Kung Sovan Say, Cambodia, 2002-2004, M.Sc.Replacement of fish meal using soybean on the growthof L. hoevenii seed nursed in hapa. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. In Khmer.



Suriyaa Jongyotha, Thailand, 2003, M.Sc.Some factors relating to productivity of mass culture ofLanchesteri freshwater prawn, Macrobrachiumlanchesteri (Deman, 1991). Khon Kaen University,Thailand. In Thai.

Phem Sea, Cambodia, 2003-2004, B.Sc.A study of the fishery for a migratory species - trey kes(Kryptopterus apogon) - in Stung Pursat, Tonle SapLake, Cambodia. Royal University of Agriculture,Phnom Penh. Fish from the Tonle Sap are monitoredon their annual migration up a tributary. In Khmer.

Aun Sinat, Cambodia, 2003-2004, B.Sc.Dai fishery on the Tonle Touch, Prey Veng Province.Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh. Thisstudy quantifies yields of the dai fishery catch from thefloodplains south of Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Prach Sokunthy, Cambodia, 2003-2005, B.Sc.Community fishery management in Chroy ChhekReservoir, Cambodia. Royal University of Agriculture,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Sean Sideth, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc.Effect of feeding strategy on the growth of indigenousfish species Barbodes gonionotus, Pangasianodonhypophthalmus, Leptobarbus hoevenii and Barbodesaltus in polyculture system. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences. In Khmer.

Heng Song, Cambodia, 1997-2001, B.Sc. Comparing the growth of wild and hatcheries seed ofPangasianodon hypophthalmus for grow-out. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Tuy Savry, Cambodia, 1999-2003, B.Sc.Evaluation of feed type on the growth of Leptobarbushoevenii seed nursed in nylon net hapa. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Yun Kim San, Cambodia, 1999-2003, B.Sc.Growth evaluation of different stocking density ofBarbonymus altus in hapa. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. In Khmer.

Seng Chenda, Cambodia, 1999-2003, B.Sc.The effect of different feeds on the growth ofBarbonymus altus seed nursed in hapa. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Hor Chanlim, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc.Comparison of the growth of indigenous fish speciesusing different composition in polyculture system atChrang Chamres Station. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. in Khmer.

Tit Chan, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc. Feeding strategies on the growth performance of thePangasianodon hypophthalmus seed. Royal Universityof Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. In Khmer.

Yun Samnol, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc.Effect of Vitamin C on the growth of Pangasianodonhypophthalmus fry. Royal University of Agriculture,Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Heng Savin, Cambodia, 1998-2002, B.Sc.Semi-artificial breeding of Barbonymus altus usingSuprefact, Ovaprim and LH-RHa. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. In Khmer.

Hean Heanh, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc.Effect of different fish diet on the growth of Leptobarbushoeveni seed nursing in hapa. Royal University ofAgriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, PhnomPenh. In Khmer.

Eng Tong, Cambodia, 2000-2003, B.Sc.Seed production of Leptobarbus hoevenii. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Hep Sokhannaro, Cambodia, 1997-2001, B.Sc.Status of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus andPangasius bocourti culture in PP and KampongChhang. Royal University of Agriculture, Faculty ofFisheries Sciences, Phnom Penh. In Khmer.



Pen Thann, Cambodia, 1997-2001, B.Sc.Effects of different hormones in seed production ofTrichogaster pectoralis. Royal University of Agriculture,Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Krouch Sopheak, Cambodia, 1998-2002, B.Sc.Evaluation of small scale aquaculture with indigenousfish species in Tramkak district, Takeo Province. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Sao Phara, Cambodia, 1998-2002, B.Sc.Effect of protein content rate in formulated feeds onTrichogaster pectoralis fry nursing in hapa. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Iev Naran, Cambodia, 1999-2003, B.Sc.Potential for small-scale aquaculture of indigenous fishspecies in Takeo and Prey Veng Province. RoyalUniversity of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences,Phnom Penh. In Khmer.

Voradeth Boupha, Lao PDR, 2000, B.Sc.Brood stock management in Cirrhinus microlepis.National University of Laos, Faculty of Agriculture,Nabong campus. The study was carried out inChampassak province at the Km 8 hatchery. In Lao.

Aloun Khunsavath, Lao PDR, 2001, B.Sc.A study on survival and growth rates of Cirrhinusmicrolepis in earthen ponds. National University ofLaos, Faculty of Agriculture, Nabong campus. Thestudy was carried out in Champassak province at theKm 8 hatchery. In Lao.

Subundid Sangaphone, Lao PDR, 2002, B.Sc.A study on production and development of Clariasmacrocephalus. National University of Laos, Faculty ofAgriculture, Nabong Campus. The study was carriedout in Vientiane, Nam Houm hatchery. In Lao.

Ho Thi Ngoc Nga, Viet Nam, 2004, B.Sc. Study of induced spawning of Labeo chrysophekadionCollege of Natural Science, Ho Chi Minh City. Thestudy was carried out at Cai Be Centre. In Vietnamese.

Xaysana Singrajphak, Lao PDR, 2004, HigherDiploma DegreeStudy on fish seed marketing in Vientiane, LuangPhrabang and Champassak province. NationalUniversity of Laos, Faculty of Agriculture, Nabongcampus. In Lao

Heng Mardi, Cambodia, 2001-2003, DiplomaEvaluation of growth of wild and hatcheryPangasianodon hypophthalmus in small scale grow-outpolyculture system in Takeo and Prey Veng Province.National School of Agriculture, Kampong Cham. InKhmer.

Thoeun Srey Neang, Cambodia, 2001-2003,DiplomaStock enhancement in Thmorda Reservoir fisheries.National School of Agriculture, Kampong Cham. InKhmer.

New information productsProceedings of the Second InternationalSymposium on the Management of LargeRivers for Fisheries (LARS2)

These proceedings are availableeither as two hardback volumes oras a CD-ROM. Both productscontain the edited papers fromLARS2 held from 11-14 February2003 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.The theme of the conference wasSustaining Livelihoods andBiodiversity in the NewMillennium. The papers on theCD-ROM are in PDF format.

CD US$5 (plus postage)Hard copies US$50 (plus postage)

An Introduction to Cambodia's InlandFisheries

Cambodia relies heavily on itsnatural resources and agriculturalland to provide food and livelihoodfor its 12 million people. Amongthe most vibrant of theserenewable natural resources arethe inland fisheries, which provideincome and food security formillions of people. This reportsynthesises much of the relevant research onCambodia's fisheries. Its easy-to-read style iscomplemented by numerous attractive photographs

Mekong Development Series No. 4, November 2004,56 pages. US$5.00

Distribution and Ecology of SomeImportant Riverine Fish Species of theMekong River Basin

This new report complements anearlier report on fish migrations(Technical Paper No 8), whichprovided an overview of thegeneral patterns of fish migrationsand their significance formanagement. This report providesmore detailed information of 40 keyspecies which are significant in theMekong River fishery. For each

species it provides notes on distribution, feeding, size,population structure, critical habitats, life cycle and itsimportance in fisheries.

MRC Technical Paper No. 10, May 2004. 116 pages.US$5.00

Fisheries Information in the LowerMekong Basin CD-ROM

The Fisheries Programme hasproduced many publications,databases, maps and photos coveringthe fisheries of the Mekong. Much of itis dispersed, having been published in

various places and over an extended period. Now, forthe first time, we have compiled the great majority ofthese publications in electronic form, and producedthem on one CD.

The Fisheries Information in the Lower Mekong BasinCD-ROM has been compiled to provide acomprehensive research and educational resource forscientists, researchers and all those interested in thefisheries of the Lower Mekong Basin.


I n f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t s

I n f o r m a t i o n p r o d u c t s


The CD offers a vast range of information produced bythe Mekong River Commission's Fisheries Programmeand its counterparts including approximately 300technical papers and reports produced over the past 10years. It contains nine databases related to catchassessment and five databases related to migrationand spawning. Each database has its own manualand/or data dictionary. There is also a selection ofphotos on fishing activities in the Mekong.

A bibliography section provides references for asubstantial collection of fisheries related papers andbooks.

Users can also access and explore18 pre-made mapsusing the ArcReader, GIS software provided.

Publication of this CD is part of the Mekong RiverCommission's ongoing campaign to promoteawareness of the issues surrounding the fisheries ofthe Lower Mekong Basin.

December 2004. US$5.00

Fishing Gears in Songkhram River Basin

Mr Keeree Kohanantakul, ThailandDepartment of Fisheries, hasdocumented the fishing gears ofthe Songkhram River in a newbook. Many fishing gears used inthe Songkhram River are based onlocal knowledge built up overcenturies. Their designs and usereflect knowledge of fish behaviour,including feeding and movements

associated with weather and moon phases, as well aslocal hydrological conditions. In compiling theinformation in the book, the author wanted to informnew generations of the initiative shown by theirancestors who invented and constructed fishing gearswhich do not over-exploit fish stocks like some of themodern fishing gears. This book has photos of all gearsand information on their use. Soft cover, 87 pp, in Thai

Available from: Inland Fisheries Research andDevelopment Bureau, Department of Fisheries,Thailand or Fisheries Programme, Mekong RiverCommission Secretariat, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Catch and Culture in four languages

These publications feature the best articles of 2004translated into Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese.

Free (postage may apply)

Best Mekong fishermen rewardedViet Nam News, 8 January 2005Twelve fishermen in the Cuu Kong (Mekong) Deltaprovinces have been names the best fishermen by thesouthern province of An Giang and Nam Viet Ltd Co.The fishermen have each caught 500-17,000 tonnes ofhigh quality catfish this year.

Fish breeders' manual soonVientiane Times, January 2005Namxoung Aquaculture Development Centre isexpecting to produce a handbook for fish breederswithin the next few months, following three years ofresearch in Lao PDR. The new manual will help fishbreeders reduce their business costs as well as teachthem new breeding techniques. The Centre, about40km north of Vientiane, opened in 2002 under theAquaculture Improvement and Extension Project withsupport from the Japan International CooperationAgency. The project aims to teach livestock and fisherystaff to train provincial and district officers. This year theCentre aims to produce more than four millionfingerlings to supply breeders.

Fisherfolk arrested after killing rare freshwaterdolphin in CambodiaAgence France Presse, 27 January 2005Four fisherfolk were arrested in Cambodia after theyallegedly killed a rare Irrawaddy dolphin by tossing anexplosive device into a river in northeastern Mondulkiriprovince. The 86kg freshwater dolphin was found deadin the Srepok River after people exploded the device tocatch fish. The secretary of the provincial police chiefsaid noone knew that there were Irrawaddy dolphins inSrepok River. Seng Teak, country director for the WorldWide Fund for Nature said that the river used to behome to the Irrawaddy dolphin but they disappeared 10to 15 years ago.

Foreign firms eye Vietnam's aquatic feed marketAsia Pulse, 28 January 2005 With aquaculture a hot industry in Vietnam, the demandfor specialised feed is increasing rapidly. Foreign feedcompanies now produce about 400,000 tonnes a yearof food for the seafood sector, but that isn't enough tosatisfy the aquaculture industry. Vietnam must importbetween 140,000 and 150,000 tonnes of marine feed a

year from Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan to meetdemand. Most of the 13 aquatic feed plants nowoperating in the country are foreign invested, says thefisheries ministry. Aquaculture areas have expanded to1 million hectares, with annual catches now up to1.2million tonnes a year. Black shrimp, tilapias and basacatfish are the three major marine life species raised.

January seafood exports reach $150mVietnam News Service, 29 January 2005Viet Nam's seafood exports expanded rapidly inJanuary by 19.8 per cent over the same month in 2004.The Ministry of Fisheries was confident of reaching its$2.6 billion goal by the end of this year. The FisheriesMinistry has also vowed to further promote trademarksfor key Vietnamese exports like basa catfish. Followinga recent seminar in southern An Giang Province, theministry selected "Top Quality Pangasius from VietNam" as the trademark for quality Vietnamese basaand tra catfish. Last year, seafood was Viet Nam's 4thlargest export, bringing in $2.36 billion from productssuch as shrimp and fish.

Scientists, Fishermen Worry About Herring Associated Press, 7 February 2005Scientists are worried about the health of the herringpopulation of San Francisco Bay. Fishermen also havefound it increasingly difficult to earn a living in the bay'slast significant commercial fishery, but argue theherring population is healthy and state restrictions arethe cause of their woes. Herring spend most of the yearin the Pacific Ocean but schools of the fish visit the bayfor up to four weeks each in winter months to.Fishermen scoop the fish up in nets and sell them tobuyers in Japan, where their prized eggs, or roe, areserved at sushi bars. The fish themselves areprocessed into animal feed. This season there havebeen very few herring landed. Fishermen want thestate wildlife officials to let them use gill nets withnarrower meshes, allowing them to catch smaller fish.Currently, smaller fish can pass through the 2 1/8-inchmesh required by the state. The fishermen want toreduce the allowable mesh size to 2 inches, a moveopposed by state scientists. State biologists havefretted about the fishery's health ever since El Nino'swater-warming events seven years ago decimated theherring population, which still has not fully recovered.

Mekong Fisheries Index

M e k o n g F i s h e r i e s I n d e x




Fisheries capitalised for further growthViet Nam News, 7 February 2005The Ministry of Fisheries will invest VND 182 billion(US$11.5 million) to develop the fisheries sector thisyear. Aquaculture is earmarked to receive VND 13.5billion and creation and development of breedingstrains will receive VND30 billion.

Government to back catfish farming for exportBangkok Post, 14 February 2005Thailand's National Food Institute is to actively promotefarming of giant catfish due to rising overseas demand.The institute will now conduct a study on developinglocal pangasius farms into large-scale operations andhopes to earn 10 billion baht a year in exports. The fishare currently raised in Mukdahan and UbonRatchathani provinces near the Mekong River. Catfishare popular in the US and Europe, where they areconsidered healthy and delicious.

PM bans fishing nets in Mekong's dolphin areaCambodia Daily, 8 March 2005 Prime Minister Hun Sen has issued a directiveprohibiting fishing nets in the Mekong River from Kratieprovince to Stung Treng in a bid to conserve theendangered Mekong dolphins. He said authoritiesshould prohibit fishing nets, batteries for electrocutingfish, explosives and rafts made of bamboo from goingthrough the conservation area and dolphin habitats.Eight rare dolphins died last year after being caught innets officials said.

Landlocked areas develop freshwater aquacultureViet Nam News, 12 March 2005Northern inland provinces in Viet Nam this year hope toharvest 50,000 tonnes of fish. Overcomingshortcomings in infrastructure, the freshwateraquaculture sector in Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai,Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Phu Tho will takeadvantage of available natural conditions and provide50,000 jobs. Much of this area is suitable foraquaculture, as it comprises lakes and rivers or smallponds and rice paddy. The Da River region has morethan 100 varieties of fish.

200 Fish species on the verge of extinctionThe Nation, 1 April 2005The Office of Natural Resources and EnvironmentalPolicy and Planning has said that more than 200species of fish in the Kingdom are at risk of extinction.The ONREPP Red Data of Thailand reported that fishwere the most at-risk animals globally. On the front lineof species fighting to survive are sawfish, whale sharks,napoleons, the common silver barb and the Mekonggiant catfish. In Thailand, 90 per cent of the locations

studies - home to 269 species of fish (133 sea fish and136 freshwater fish) - were under threat. Amphibianssuch as saltwater and freshwater crocodiles and manyvarieties of turtles were also in danger of being wipedout by unchecked urban sprawl and road building.

Mekong Day celebrates 10 years of MRCcooperation MRC press release, 5 April 2005Senior government representatives from Cambodia,Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam gathered in thepresence of the Lao Vice Prime Minister H.E. Mr AsangLaoly and members of the international diplomatic anddonor community in Vientiane to celebrate the 10thanniversary of the Mekong River Commission. Thecelebration was held at the MRC Secretariat inVientiane, Lao PDR and commemorated the signing ofthe Agreement on the Cooperation for the SustainableDevelopment of the Mekong River Basin, which tookplace in Chiang Rai, Thailand on 5 April 1995. TheChairman of the MRC Council for 2004/2005 H.E. MrSomphong Mongkhonvilay formally named 5 April asMekong Day and asked that communities in the regionto join with the MRC each year in a celebration ofMekong Day to increase awareness of the region'sprogress in the wider world.

Flood Management and Mitigation Programme afirst for RegionMRC Press Release, 7 April 2005The Mekong River Commission's new FloodManagement and Mitigation Programme was the focusof the Third Annual Mekong Flood Forum held inVientiane on April 7-8. The topic of this year's forumwas 'Flood Management and Mitigation in the MekongBasin'. The Mekong River Commission's FloodManagement and Mitigation Programme (FMMP) willbe the first programme of its kind to operate on aregional basis, bringing together the needs of the fourmember countries. The new Regional FloodManagement and Mitigation Centre in Phnom Penh,Cambodia will be the first time such a permanent,regional centre has been established. Internationalexperts from the MRC member countries of Cambodia,Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam, Dialogue PartnersChina and Myanmar and from Japan, Germany, Franceand Nepal gathered for the two-day conference todiscuss ways of managing the floods which claim manylives and cause untold damage every year in theMekong Basin.

Fisheries sector targets reflect optimismViet Nam News 13 April 2005The Ministry of Fisheries has set an ambitious target toproduce one million tonnes of tra and basa catfish

Published by the Mekong River Commission Secretariat P.O. Box 6101, 184 Fa Ngoum Road, Unit 18, Ban Sithane Neua,

Sikhottabong District, Vientiane 01000 Lao PDR

Phone: 856-21-263 263 Fax: 856-21-263 264Website: www.mrcmekong.org



annually by 2010. The ministry expects this volume toearn US$800 million in export turnover. However traand basa prices fell following some exports beingrejected by the EU for containing prohibited chemicals.The ministry will now encourage farmers to producecatfish but warn them not to use any of the bannedchemicals.

Fish get chips in high-tech research exercise Thai News Agency website, 16 April 2005Giant catfish being raised in the river have been fittedwith passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags andmicrosatellite DNA markers as part of a breeding planto ensure their continuing genetic diversity and preventdisease. It is hoped that the bred giant catfish can thenbe released into rivers nationwide. Over the past 20-plus years, the Fisheries Department has bred overthree million giant catfish in an attempt to halt theirdecline. This year the department will establish a giantcatfish-breeding unit in the northern province of ChiangRai to continue with the breeding programme. Othergiant catfish research programmes include the fitting ofultrasonic coded transmitters to determine theirmigratory habits, and the development of giant catfishfarming on a commercial basis.

Mekong Delta hit by most severe salinity anddrought Vietnam News Agency, 25 April 2005 The Mekong Delta is facing the most severe droughtand salinity in many decades, according to a recentsurvey conducted by the Sub-institute of IrrigationResearch and Planning in southern Viet Nam. Thesurvey found that a total of 1.4 million ha of agro-forestry and piscicultural land in the region has beenaffected by salinity and 6,000 ha by drought. Seawaterhas encroached 75km deep into the Vam Co DongRiver, 80km into the Vam Co Tay River and between 45and 62km into the Tien and Hau, the two main rivers inthe region.

Giant catfish conflict simmers Bangkok Post, May 5, 2005Conflicts have been developing among local fishermen,local leaders and conservationists over the seasonalGiant Catfish Hunt. The first two groups want to

continue this ”traditional'' hunting and the last groupdemands that it end. The number of giant catfish, or plabuek, caught from the Mekong river by local people hasbeen decreasing and only six were caught last year.Three giant catfish have been caught in Chiang Khongsince this year's one-and-a half-month-long huntingseason started on April 18 - two males and one female.Conservationists tried to stop fisheries officials fromtaking sperm from the fish for aquaculture, but the eggsfrom the 280kg female were taken to an aquaculturestation in Wiang Chai district.

Rush to study Giant Catfish amid fears ofextinction Thai News Agency, May 7 2005Mrs Tuenjai Deetet, a senator from Thailand's northernChiang Rai Province has called for urgent studies intothe life cycle of the Giant Mekong Catfish, warning thatit could be on the brink of extinction. She said that thegovernment should also launch a campaign against theconsumption of the rare fish and she called for a halt toa controversial fertility treatment plan for the fish,saying that they should be left to breed naturally.Preservation of the catfish had to be a regional effort,and she aid that the six Mekong countries, includingThailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Viet Namand southern China, should fit microchips to the fish tohelp study their life cycle and migration patterns.

Villagers unhappy with bid to halt catfish hunting Bangkok Post, 8 May 2005Some villagers of Chiang Khong district have opposeda call for an end to the hunting of giant catfish in theMekong River, saying it was a local custom practisedfor generations. Poom Boonnak, president of Hat Krai'sSociety of Giant Catfish Fishermen in Chiang Khongdistrict said villagers were willing to abide by the lawrequiring them to get permission from the FisheriesDepartment prior to fishing. Mr Poom said the villagerswere worried they would no longer be allowed to carryout traditional catfish hunting as a senator wascampaigning for an end to it. If catfish hunting wasbanned, villagers would just hunt on the Lao side of theriver, he said.

Mekong River CommissionP.O.Box 6101, 184 Fa Ngoum Road, Unit 18, Ban Sithane Neua,

Sikhottabong District, Vientiane Lao PDRTelephone: (856) 21 263 263 Facsimile: (856) 21 263 264

E-mail: [email protected]: www.mrcmekong.org

Catch Culture vol11.1 - Mekong River Commission · Financing for Lao dam signed Breeding the...

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