Research in focus: fishers and fish react to a changing environment

Cornell Chronicle – The world’s fisheries sustain millions of people. The food they provide is crucial for human nutrition and livelihoods. Yet the ecosystems that produce aquatic foods face unprecedented challenges from pollution, overfishing and climate change. Determining how to manage these ecosystems requires that we think about environmental issues in tandem with the social, Read More…

‘Hungry river’ phenomenon to blame for severe erosion of Mekong…

Radio Free Asia – Upstream dams and sand mining have caused significant erosion along the Mekong River in western Laos, according to experts, devastating riparian communities in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation with high waters and powerful currents. But residents of those communities say they believe that other issues are to blame. Brian Eyler, director of the Southeast Asia Read More…

Return of Mekong giant salmon carp raises hopes

The Phnom Penh Post – A team of scientists were stunned when a rare species of fish – previously considered extinct in Cambodian waters – was caught by a fisherman near the Sesan II hydropower dam in Stung Treng province. Thach Panara, head of the Laboratory, Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute under the Fisheries Administration, told The Post that no examples of the Read More…

Scientific expeditions could boost ailing tourist industry

The Phnom Penh Post – Areas along the Mekong River are set to become hotspots in the Kingdom for conducting scientific studies on the unexpected survival of endangered species and other biodiversity-related subjects, according to officials. The remarks came after scientists from the Wonders of the Mekong project and the Cambodian Fisheries Administration (FiA) announced that a 300kg giant Read More…

Fishermen catch 661-pound stingray, world’s largest freshwater fish

Fox News – That is one big fish. Fishermen in northern Cambodia caught a 661-pound freshwater stingray in the Mekong River earlier this month, according to reports. The massive fish, which was caught on June 13, 2022, has been recognized as the world’s largest freshwater fish to be officially recorded, per Guinness World Records. The female stingray was named Boramy, which means "full Read More…

Oxfam wraps up campaign to raise awareness on importance of Mekong…

Khmer Times – Oxfam wrapped up a four-month campaign called ‘Along the Mekong with Sai’- a campaign to promote ecotourism, the livelihood of the vulnerable communities along the Mekong who are affected by the change of water flow, and rising threats to food security. The campaign’s name dedicated to a journey on the Mekong River of a Goodwill Ambassador, Oun Batham, a Cambodian Read More…

How the world’s largest freshwater fish grew to a whopping 660…

Popular Mechanics – If you’re a fan of giant fish, you already know about the Mekong River. Now, familiarize yourself with the new record-holder in the largest freshwater fish category: a giant stingray that measures about 13 feet long and weighs 660 pounds. Earlier this month, a local fisherman caught the beast in the Mekong River, located in northeastern Cambodia. The stingray—which Read More…

Underwater acoustic receivers set up to track largest stingray ever…

The Phnom Penh Post – Scientists from Wonders of the Mekong and the Fisheries Administration (FiA) have set up 36 underwater acoustic receivers along the upper reaches of the Mekong River in Cambodia to better track the movements of a stingray believed to be the largest freshwater fish ever caught, excluding beluga sturgeons, which also occupy saltwater environments. On June 13, a Read More…

Robot boats gobble plastic waste from Vietnam to Malaysia

Nikkei Asia – The floating markets of Vietnam's Mekong Delta have a new, high-tech neighbor: a robotic boat that gobbles up plastic bottles, wrappers and other trash that could spill into the Pacific Ocean, taking aim at one of the world's most pressing environmental problems. The electric vessel joins a flotilla of similar craft making waves from Malaysia to Indonesia that have been Read More…

Charles Sturt leads FishTech initiative to boost food security and…

Charles Sturt University – Charles Sturt University will lead the FishTech initiative as part of a partnership between Australia and Lao to boost food security and climate resilience in the Mekong region in Southeast Asia. The initiative is part of an expansion of the Mekong Australia Partnership (the Partnership) between the Australian Government, the Government of Lao, the Government of Read More…