European Union bans all shark finning

Treehugger 11 July, 2013 Shark fishing and finning is responsible for the shockingly steep decline in the populations of our oceans' apex predators -- as much as 99% drop among several species. Sharks, a vital part of marine ecosystems, are disappearing throughout the world's oceans as they are caught as by-catch, actively fished, and most cruelly, finned. Thankfully, governments around Read More…

Three provinces to benefit from Mekong biodiversity project

Vientiane Times 5 July, 2013 Researchers from the National University of Laos and the Lao Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre joined with representatives of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to review the progress of a Mekong River biodiversity project yesterday. In September 2011, IUCN Lao PDR Office organised the first ecological survey of the Mekong River Read More…

Laos economy is set for boom years ahead

International Business Times 1 July, 2013 Laos, the third poorest country in Southeast Asia after Myanmar and Cambodia, is intent on catching up with its wealthier neighbors as infrastructure develops in the region, facilitating trade with Thailand and China, attracting foreign investment and boosting the country’s tourism industry. For years, Laos, a landlocked country with a Read More…

New species of bird found in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Digital Journal 26 June, 2013 A new species of bird has been identified and described by scientists who found them in rural areas associated with the Mekong River, but also in urban areas of the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The bird is small, about the size of a common sparrow, with gray plumage. Males have white cheeks, a black spot in the throat and a distinct brownish-red crown. Read More…

Mekong River Commission members visit Nashville District

Army Corps of Engineers 19 June, 2013 NASHVILLE, Tenn – Eleven members of the Mekong River Commission were briefed on how management of operations on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers affect Mississippi River operations during their June 18-19, 2013 visit to the  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District. “The Mekong River Commission and the Mississippi River Commission Read More…

Fishing nets found to kill large numbers of birds

New York Times Fishing vessels that deploy gill nets snare and drown at least 400,000 seabirds every year, and the actual figure could be considerably higher, according to research published in the June edition of an academic journal devoted to conservation. The study, in the journal Biological Conservation, uncovered reports of 81 species of birds killed by gill nets, including penguins, Read More…

Plunging fish numbers linked to dam releases

Red Orbit 11 June, 2013 A significant decline in the numbers of native fish in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin may be linked to released dam water being too cold for breeding. This is just one of the findings from a Griffith University led study which found current water releases back into the Murray-Darling system limit fish reproduction and therefore impact freshwater Read More…

A tale of two rivers: Southwest China’s hydropower play

World Policy 12 June, 2013 Beijing’s plans for dam construction in the Yunnan province, a crucial part of China’s 10-year development strategy, are an interesting puzzle. Two rivers run nearly parallel through this impoverished southwestern territory—the Nu River, which becomes the Salween after it crosses the border into Myanmar, and the Lancang River, which is known as the Mekong once Read More…

Mekong communities tell of hardship from hydropower dams

The Cambodia Daily About 200 people from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia affected by hydropower dam projects on the Mekong River and its tributaries gathered in Phnom Penh on Monday to share their experiences of how their lives have been adversely affected since the dams were constructed. Speaking at an event organized by NGO Forum, representatives from the three countries spoke out about Read More…

Second chance for rare turtles

Bangkok Post One hundred rare turtle hatchlings have been released into the Mekong River in Cambodia as part of conservation efforts, after receiving a traditional Buddhist blessing from monks. Listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and found mainly in Southeast Asia, the critically endangered Cantor's giant soft-shelled turtle was Read More…