Last Known Freshwater Dolphin In Northeastern Cambodia Dies

StarTribune — The last known freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin on a stretch of the Mekong River in northeastern Cambodia has died, apparently after getting tangled in a fishing net, wildlife officials said Wednesday. The aquatic mammal was found dead Tuesday on a riverbank in Stung Treng province near the border with Laos, Cambodia’s Fisheries Conservation Department announced on its Facebook Read More…

Three Years Of Hardship With Low Water Flow At The Mekong Basin

Khmer Times — For the first time in 60 years, the Mekong Basin which has one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world with more than 20,000 plant species and 850 fish species, had experienced low water levels from 2019 to last year. The low water flow, caused by the weather, had greatly impacted the biodiversity, ecosystem, fisheries, loss of habitat, irrigation for agriculture Read More…

At Risk: ‘Emaciated’ River Dolphin Spotted In Stung Treng Province

Khmer Times — Fears are growing over an ’emaciated’ river dolphin that was spotted yesterday in Cambodia, near the Laos border. The dolphin was spotted near Chheuteal Island in Anlong Koh Chheuteal in Preah Rumkel commune, Borey Ou Svay Sen Chey district, Stung Treng province, on February 1, 2022. It is reported to be more than 2 meters long and is in a state of emaciation. A Read More…

Tonle Sap Lake Fish Electrocution Costing Gov’t ‘$10,000 Per…

The Phnom Penh Post — President of the Royal Academy of Cambodia Sok Touch called on provincial authorities around the Tonle Sap Lake and the Fisheries Administration to strengthen patrols, investigation, prevention and crackdown on people using fish electrocution devices in the Tonle Sap Lake, because this crime costs the government $10,000 in income a night. The call came on January 28 Read More…

Data Exposes Flaws In Mekong Delta Resilience Plans

Eco-Business — For generations, Vietnamese communities have used the ample water resources and fertile soil of the Mekong Delta to feed the nation. Fuelled by the Mekong’s constant supply of rich sediment, the fisheries and paddy fields of Vietnam’s southernmost region have long been the bedrock of Vietnam’s economy. But a combination of climate change and upstream hydropower are Read More…

Cambodia Considers Extending Fish-Pass Monitoring On Pursat River

Khmer Times — Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is considering plans to extend fish-pass monitoring to a third demonstration site on a major tributary of the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Under the Lower Mekong Fish Passage Initiative with the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Inland Read More…

Mekong River Experiences Lowest Water Level

Khmer Times — The Mekong River flows have dropped to their lowest level in more than 60 years for three consecutive years, with 2020 being the Lower Mekong Basin’s driest year when rainfall was below normal levels in every month except October, according to a report. The Mekong River Commission secretariat released its100-page long report last week, saying that the “Mekong Low Flow Read More…

Mekong Group Urges Better Water Management Collaboration As Record…

Reuters — The inter-governmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) on Thursday called on China and mainland Southeast Asian countries to better coordinate management of Mekong hydropower dams and reservoirs after three years of record low flows and extra dry conditions. The Mekong River’s flow dropped to the lowest levels in more than six decades from 2019 to 2021 due to an increased number of Read More…

Sedimentation Strategies Provide Effective But Limited Mitigation Of…

Nature — Abstract The Mekong delta is experiencing rapid environmental change due to anthropogenic activities causing accelerated subsidence, sea-level rise and sediment starvation. Consequentially, the delta is rapidly losing elevation relative to sea level. Designating specific areas for sedimentation is a suggested strategy to encourage elevation-building with nature in deltas. Read More…

Review Finds 61 Fishes Migrating Between Mekong Freshwater And Marine…

Khmer Times — Fishes that migrate between fresh and marine waters are known as diadromous species. They are among the most vulnerable species to river infrastructure development. These fishes need to move between fresh water and the sea to complete their lifecycles, so barriers to migration can block access to critical habitats. The Lower Mekong Basin is undergoing an unprecedented boom in Read More…