Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Officers get ready for patrol on the Tonle Sap Lake in Pursat province on April 2. VENG SAKHON VIA FACEBOOK

Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has laid out a four-point plan to help sub-national authorities effectively investigate and prosecute natural resource crimes within their jurisdictions.

In a notice entitled “Measures to strengthen prevention and enforcement of forest, wildlife and fisheries crimes” issued last week, agriculture minister Veng Sakhon instructed sub-national administrations to step up investigations and action on natural resource crimes so that they do not become widespread.

He laid out the four-point plan and urged sub-national administrations to effectively implement it, as they are responsible for leading and coordinating with the various police forces across the Kingdom to preserve and protect natural resources.

They must prevent people from logging, burning, clearing or occupying forest land and flooded forest land. They have to take action to inspect timber stocks, and manage the circulation and processing of all kinds of timber products. They must also strictly enforce the nation’s fisheries laws.

“If they spot an offence being committed, they have to take action immediately, so that the offending does not become widespread and consequently harder to deal with.

“If an offence is complicated or being committed on a large scale, they should report it to – and seek immediate intervention from – the ministry and national-level institutions, so they

can resolve the case together, procedurally,” the notice said.

Kampong Thom provincial governor Nguon Ratanak told The Post that the provincial administration had set up a sub-committee tasked with inspecting, investigating and prosecuting forest, wildlife and fishery crimes and a team to spread the word about the new measures.

“At present, our team is continuing to gather statistics and data on people who use illegal fishing equipment. We have seized some equipment and are continuing to search for more offenders. We are building case files which will be referred to court,” he said.

He added that since Prime Minister Hun Sen gave the order to focus on fisheries crimes on March 23, his administration had led forces that had seized more than 3,000m of trawl nets and 6,000 wooden and bamboo fish traps, as well as more than 20 devices used to electrocute fish.

Battambang provincial governor Sok Lou told The Post that although fishery crimes in the province are very low, the provincial administration continued to monitor the situation, particularly in Sangke and Ek Phnom districts.

MOST VIEWED

  • Tensions high ahead of historic Kun Khmer match up

    The long-awaited November 5 matchup between Kun Khmer legend Prum Samnang and Myanmar-Canadian boxer Dave Leduc has become the most anticipated fight of the year. The Wurkz Sena Kun Khmer promotion, which will be held at the Town Arena at Chip Mong 271 Megamall, will see six

  • Manet: Cambodia safe for travel

    Prime Minister Hun Manet acknowledged that Cambodia and China have cooperated to tackle internet scamming, fraud and other cross border crimes, but insisted that the “Kingdom of Wonders” is completely peaceful and safe. He welcomed tourists to come and explore its rich heritage. During a

  • UNESCO formally list Battambang gastronomy

    Battambang, renowned for its cultural heritage, has achieved a significant milestone as the first Cambodian municipality to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The UCCN unites nearly 300 cities prioritising creativity and cultural industries in local development plans and international cooperation. On World Cities Day,

  • Cambodia pivots to solar, wind energy

    Cambodia is planning a move towards solar and wind energy to meet its rising power demands, according to Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak. On the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week event held recently, Rottanak emphasised the urgency of diversifying Cambodia’s

  • Angkor causeway symbol of Cambodia-Japan ties

    In a historic moment marking another milestone in the 70-year-long diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Japan, King Norodom Sihamoni celebrated the formal inauguration of a causeway located to the west of the world-renowned Angkor Wat. While presiding over the November 4 ceremony, the King emphasised the

  • Manet calls for Cambodia’s railways to get back on track

    Prime Minister Hun Manet has instructed the relevant authorities to expedite studies into upgrades to the Phnom Penh to Preah Sihanouk railway line. He suggested that the maximum speed on the line should be increased to 80km/h, in order to expedite the transportation of