VietNam Net Bridge
In a recent publication, scientists, together with the Mekong River Commission (MRC), said the Mekong River, the 12th longest in the world, will be affected by hydropower dams proposed on the river’s upper course.
The fisheries alone can bring $17 billion a year, making up about 3 percent of GDP of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, said the MRC. The figures were based on the report that 4.4 million tons of aquatic products are caught from the river every year.
The total value of the global fisheries was $130 billion in 2015 as reported, while the Mekong alone brought 13 percent.
The report shows Vietnam earns $5.74 billion from fisheries on the Mekong, or 3.1 percent of the country’s GDP. Meanwhile, Thailand earns $6.72 billion, or 1.8 percent of its GDP.
The role played by the Mekong in smaller economies proves to be even more important. Fishing and aquaculture brought $3 billion to Cambodia in 2015, or 18 percent of the country’s GDP. As for Laos, the figures were $1.51 billion and 12.8 percent, respectively.