Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Measures stepped up to prevent illegal fishing during Khmer New Year

Measures stepped up to prevent illegal fishing during Khmer New Year

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Kampong Chhnang police seize illegal fishing equipment in Kampong Chhnang province on March 28. POLICE

Measures stepped up to prevent illegal fishing during Khmer New Year

Authorities in the six provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake have put in place measures to strengthen searches and crackdowns on illegal fishing over the Khmer New Year holiday, a provincial official has said.

In order to prevent illegal fishing in flooded forest areas and on the Tonle Sap Lake, the Siem Reap provincial Sub-Committee on Fisheries Crimes had laid out a number of measures to prevent people from illicitly fishing during the holiday, said Tea Kim Soth, director of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Siem Reap province. The main measures his department would be taking during this period include conducting educational campaigns, disseminating laws to locals, and searching for evidence of fisheries crimes in the lake area.

“We have so far observed that during major national festivals, especially Khmer New Year, some people with nefarious intent had often fished secretly. So, this year, our team has laid out some necessary measures to strengthen the work of preventing and searching for fisheries crimes during Khmer New Year,” he said.

Eleven headquarters have been set up in Siem Reap province for authorities to deploy staff involved with crackdowns on fisheries crimes, one of which is the "light" headquarters established by the Joint National Commission (JNC), consisting of 15 forces on standby made up of staff from the Ministry of Environment, the Fisheries Administration, the armed forces and the Siem Reap Provincial Administration. The 10 other floating headquarters belong to district Fisheries Administration cantonments and consist of three to five members each, alongside members of intervention units.

In Battambang, provincial Fisheries Administration director Chuong Sophea said the Provincial Sub-Committee on Fisheries Crimes had been distributing food, equipment and fuel to the working group from April 13 to strengthen the search and crackdown operations commencing over the Khmer New Year period, and that it will continue to do so in a campaign that is scheduled to run throughout the week.

This campaign was divided into two groups, he said, one of which was tasked with educating local communities and the other assigned with patrolling the flooded forest areas and the Tonle Sap Lake.

Battambang province is home to one floating "light" headquarters and four sub-headquarters, located in Koh Chivaing commune of Ek Phnom district. The province also contains headquarters and sub-headquarters in the flooded forest areas and in the Mother Fish Conservation Area in Sangke, Moung Russey, Thma Koul and Ek Phnom districts.

Pursat provincial governor Cheav Tay observed that “most” crimes had happened during major national festivals, including that which pertains to illegal fishing.

He opined that necessary measures had to be taken and prepared for to prevent such crimes from occuring – especially the arrangement of security and public order – for the wellbeing of locals.

“We know that perpetrators often take the opportunity … of this important national holiday to commit crimes. Therefore, we must strengthen controls and protection as much as possible and must crack down on all crimes, especially fishing crimes in the Tonle Sap Lake. We must do this regularly so that our national fish resources will become plentiful again,” he said.

He added that his office had laid out some measures this Khmer New Year to strengthen safety and security at resorts across the province.

He said he had instructed members of the fisheries crimes subcommittee in the province to step up patrols around the Tonle Sap Lake.

MOST VIEWED

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • PM declares ASEAN Para Games open

    The 12th ASEAN Para Games officially kicked off on the evening of June 3 at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring fireworks and performances by some of the Kingdom’s most accomplished talents. Tens of thousands of sports fans

  • Honda shutters Siem Reap football club

    Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda, the owner of Siem Reap football club Soltilo Angkor FC, has been forced to shut the club down, after it failed to attract sponsorship for the upcoming season. Honda, the former manager of the Cambodia men's national football team, said

  • Waterway job still pending for Kampot tourism port’s opening

    The search is still on for a contractor to expand and deepen the Kampot International Tourism Port’s waterway and deliver additional enhancements allowing safe access for larger vessels, nearly a year after the main construction work on the 4.25ha site was completed on June 30, 2022.