Depletion of marine fisheries

Today, the fish habitats are significantly reduce and are generally considered to be less
productive. The livelihoods of subsistence fisheries have been already threatened by a decline in
catch. Although there are now less major conflicts between communities and fishing lot owners,
illegal fishing and destructive fishing practices are increasing. Otherwise, there are direct and
indirect factors causing depletion of fisheries in Cambodia. These include loss of fisheries due to
over fishing, destructive and illegal fishing practices and clearance of crowding forests.
1. Loss of fishery due to over fishing
The total fish catches have been relatively stable over time, but its figures are extremely
misleading as an index of fish abundance and value. In recent years, fishing effort has greatly
increased. The mean fish body size has decreased and species composition has shifted, favoured
small-bodied and low value species. These are all symptoms of over-fishing.
2. Destructive and illegal fishing practices
Some Cambodian people use of many destructive and illegal fishing practices to obtain the
highly amount of fish. Large scale fishing have been used to feed their families, pay off debts,
and adequate income/capital.
Destructive fishing practices include the following
Electrocution is used by both commercial and small scale fishers. Electrocuting fish is
the preferred option for illegal fishers along the Tonle Sap as it is relatively cheap
method that can be began from the shore line, and is also a quick and efficient mean
to catch fish.
The use long (1-2km) fine-mesh nets to trap small and less valuable fish which will
be tuned into fish feed or animal feed. Also, the use of bag nets on river ways to catch
fish moving upriver to spawn and of large commercial fish traps
Trawling or use of pushboats in shallow waters. Commercial fishing boats designed
for sea fishing are increasingly encroaching on shallow coastal waters, destroying the
seabed and fish breeding grounds and the livelihoods of traditional coastal fisherfolk
Competition for decreasing stocks is becoming more severe, and fishers at all levels have
resorted to taking advantage of a weak law enforcement environment and lack of
management systems to capture as much as they can immediately, without concern for the
future. So, the government has an important role to play in setting guidelines and standards
for community fisheries and monitoring implementation.
3. Pollution and clearance of flooded forest
Water pollution is the main problem to cause many fish died, although the level of water
pollution in Cambodia is still low. The pollution from agricultural run-off is becoming more
common due to increasing use of chemicals, such as fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides. Fish
stock are also are also threatened by other toxic elements from industrial waste and organic
pollutants from domestic, which damage the aquatic ecology. Although water quality so far
still exist in a good condition, acceleration of industrial growth in recent years with no

transparent land use planning, increased agrochemical consumption, urbanization etc, the
water quality will deteriorate in the not too long future. Moreover, Cambodias urban areas
have limited domestic waste management and most domestic waste goes directly into
waterways without any treatment. This does not only pollute the waterways with toxic and
disease septic water but also adds increased nutrients which nourish the fish.
Another point is Clearance of inundated forest. The inundated forests turn into the
habitats where many migratory fish species come from the Mekong river system to breed and
lay egg. Many fish species utilize the freshwater inundated forests as important habitats that
act as fish nurseries. So, if the flooded or inundated forest are cleared, the fish will be loss
and it will increases soil erosion, causing silt to fill-in and simplify the habitat in waterways.