UCA News —
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) today released two reports recommending the protection of fish stocks to ensure food supplies for millions of people in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Around 65 million people rely on the Mekong for their chief source of protein and live hand to mouth, but climate change, drought, dam construction in Laos and China and illegal fishing have resulted in sharply lower fish catches.
The reports — Status and Trends of Fish Abundance and Diversity in the Lower Mekong Basin during 2007–2018 (FADM) and Social Impact Monitoring and Vulnerability Assessment 2018 (SIMVA 2018) — found people continue to rely on water resources that are increasingly under pressure.
“These studies further highlight the importance of responsible development, balanced regional and national interest, and stronger regional cooperation in order to safeguard the Mekong River water and related resources,” said MRC secretariat chief executive An Pich Hatda.