Khmer Times —
The Tonle Sap, which contributed over half the fish produced in Cambodia, is now faced with a serious threat in fish catch due to loss of flooded forest, climate change, upstream dams and illegal fishing activities.
Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT)’s Tonle Sap project coordinator Minh Bunly told Khmer Times that the Tonle Sap lake was known to support the thriving fishing industry but with the threats it faces now, it is affecting the production of freshwater fish.
“The construction of large hydropower dams and reservoirs among others is affecting water flow, thus threatening the sensitive ecosystems downstream, especially Tonle Sap river, the Tonle Sap Lake and its floodplain. Even the water flow according to the season is affected,” he added.
“ All these harms done to the lake have also affected spawning and breeding of freshwater fish,” said Bunly, adding that climate change is a global problem but it has also affected Cambodia and irregular rainfall had also affected the Tonle Sap lake.