PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries issued a press release on the fish harvest in Phnom Penh and Kandal province, from 29 December 2022 to 2 January 2023, announcing that more than 1,500 tons of fish had been caught.

According to the press release, the fish harvest in Phnom Penh and Kandal Province in 2022-2023 amassed 1,481 tons of fish, indicating an increase of about 40% compared to the fishing season of 2021-2022, in which 890 tons of fish were caught.

The types of fish caught from fishing lines were Common Dace (45% of total catch), Oxygaster pointoni (30%), Labiobarbus leptocheilus (5%), Syncrossus helodes (3%), puntioplites (2%), Clupisoma sinensis (5%), and mixed fish (10%).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, within five days of opening the sale of fish for people in Phnom Penh and Kandal province, many came to buy fish to make prahok, fermented fish, and fish sauce for household use and resale. There were about 8,000 people who bought fish, of whom about 90% came from other provinces.

The Ministry said that the increase in the fish harvests numbers reflect the increased number of wild freshwater fish, due to the effective prevention of illegal fishing activities in the Tonle Sap Lake by fisheries officials and relevant authorities during breeding season in 2022.

In addition, the Ministry stated it will continue its conservation and development efforts, not only of the Tonle Sap lake, but also of the upper Mekong River, as the Tonle Sap is a place for fish to grow and the upper Mekong is a breeding ground for fish, as well as where river dolphins live.

The Ministry has called on all fishermen to abide by the laws in order to preserve fishery resources, and warns that perpetrators of illegal fishing will be held responsible before the law. The Ministry stressed that it will continue to enforce the law strictly for illegal fishing if enough evidence is found.

The Ministry noted that as fish production increases, fishermen and local people will be able to buy fish at increasingly affordable prices, which will contribute to reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of people in the community. Keeping the Tonle Sap Lake and the Mekong River free from overfishing will ensure the sustainable supply of fish for the whole country.