PhnomPenhPost-March 27, 2024
Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Thor Chetha has called for authorities at all levels to work together to protect and conserve the natural resources of the Tonle Sap Lake for sustainable use. Chetha visited floating villages in Phat Sanday commune in Kampong Thom province’s Kampong Svay district and Chhnok Trou commune in Kampong Chhnang province’s Boribor district on March 26. The visit aimed to give the minister an opportunity to examine the flooded forest areas and gain a better understanding of the locations which require new demarcation posts, in order to better manage and conserve water resources. During his inspection tour, he met with representatives of the local authorities, as well as the fishing communities which rely on the natural resources of the Tonle Sap Lake to earn their livelihoods.
He advised local authorities at all level to cooperate with the state-level specialized ministries and institutions to improve the efficiency of protecting, conserving and managing natural resources and the overall environment of the lake and its surrounds. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported that in the first two months of 2024, it had cracked down on fisheries offences in the six provinces bordering the lake: Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Battambang, Pursat and Banteay Meanchey. Among the items seized were 176 fishing vessels, with 87 boat engines, as well as 1,473 electric fishing devices and hundreds of thousands of meters of illegal nets. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chetra-urges-preservation-of-tonle-sap
