To better protect the world endangered freshwater dolphins

Khmer Times – Cambodia is pushing the conservation of the country’s Mekong River dolphins not only to make it an attractive tourism product, but also to better protect the population of the world endangered mammal. According to Neth Pheaktra, Spokesperson and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment, as the freshwater dolphins are increasingly attracting tourists, more Read More…

WWF, fisheries dept announce community co-management for aquatic…

Vientiane Times – World Wide Fund for Nature in Laos (WWF-Laos) in cooperation with the Department of Livestock and Fisheries on Wednesday announced community fishery co-management regulations for Xebanghieng River’s 10 fish reservations of Savannakhet province, focusing on protection of threatened aquatic species. The announcement and official launch of the administration of 10 fish Read More…

As The Tonle Sap Dries Up, Villagers Worry About Dwindling Fish Catch

VOA – Come August, Pursat province’s Kampong Luong commune is usually flooded from the swelling Tonle Sap Lake. The waters fill the village’s dusty paths, with all activity conducted around seven meters above ground level. This year, there are villagers selling groceries and other items on the ground level, the small dirt paths in the village are still dry and dusty. There has Read More…

New Mekong dam ignores threats to UNESCO World Heritage city,…

ASEAN Today – As US-China tensions turn towards the Mekong River and its dams, the area near Laos’ latest hydropower project on the river is already seeing major controversy around existing dam projects. The Lao government is preparing to start construction on the Luang Prabang Dam, a 1,460-megawatt (MW) project that will be the largest on Laos’ portion of the river. Located near the Read More…

Save these adorable things, public demands after deaths of Irrawaddy…

Coconuts – The deaths of a number of Irrawaddy dolphins killed by illicit electro-fishing has led to renewed calls from the public and celebs for their protection. Although electrifying water to stun fish is illegal, no one has been arrested after five dead animals turned up in recent weeks, leading to public outcry over the harm done to the dolphins which inhabit the river from which Read More…

Polluted Mekong Delta river kills fish, contaminates water sources

VN Express – A section of the Cai Lon River in Hau Giang Province has turned black and foul-smelling, killing fish and contaminating local water sources. For the past several days Ly Minh Lam, a resident of Long My Town in the Mekong Delta province, has been unable to use water from the river for his family's straw mushroom garden. He has begun to think of installing pipes to carry water Read More…

Mekong River Water Levels Hits Record Lows for a Second Year

CTN News – The Mekong River Commission has urged China and lower Mekong countries to share more data on hydropower dam operations. Because water flow in the Mekong River has hit record low levels for a second consecutive year. A report by the commission attributes the low water level to two years of reduced rainfall and the operations of 13 Mekong hydropower dams – two in Laos and 11 in Read More…

Solar Power Can Help Halt Dramatic Decline Of Migratory Fish

Forbes – A report issued last week revealed that, worldwide, migratory freshwater fish have declined by 76% since 1970. This result joins a growing and dispiriting list of dramatic declines for biodiversity and wildlife. However, it also highlights a continuing threat to food security for many regions of the world. Freshwater fish provide the primary source of protein for at least 200 Read More…

Fishermen without fish as Cambodia’s river reversal runs late

Reuters – Crucial water flows to the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest lake, have been delayed for a second consecutive year according to river experts, severely disrupting fishing and threatening the food supply of more than a million people. The river reversal vital for Tonle Sap Lake may not happen until next month, officials said, owing to drought conditions and more than a dozen Read More…

Laos pushes ahead with sixth Mekong River dam project

Reuters – Laos has submitted plans to build a new hydropower dam on the Mekong River, with construction expected to start later this year, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) said on Monday. The Sanakham hydropower plant, with an estimated cost of $2.073 billion, will be developed by Datang Sanakham Hydropower company, a subsidiary of China’s Datang International Power Generation Co. Read More…