There’s no big fish anymore, says Mekong fisherman

The Star

Fisherman Tin Yusos tucks into a meal of the previous day’s catch with his family aboard a boat which doubles as their home by the banks of the Tonle Sap River.

They plan to set out for another day of fishing in the area of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, though his expectations are low.

“There are no big fish anymore, ” said Tin Yusos, 57.

In the past, he could get a haul of about 30kg of fish a day. Now he often catches just over 1kg.

Experts blame hydropower projects, sand mining, deforestation, wetland conversion and climate change for dramatic drops in water levels in the region’s rivers, severely disrupting fishing and threatening food supplies for millions.

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