Illegal fishing gear seized in Tonle Sap lake crackdowns

Khmer Times –

Kampong Chhnang provincial fisheries administration officials on Monday seized 1,580 metres of fishing nets, 900 wooden poles, 47 fishing traps and 100 kilograms of fish during a crackdown on illegal fishing along Tonle Sap lake.

Ly La, provincial fisheries administration director, yesterday said officials discovered closed-season fishing activities in 24 areas during the crackdown in Kampong Leng and Chalkiri districts.

“Fishing is banned in some areas during the closed fishing season in order to allow fish to spawn,” he said. “We found mostly fish in the fishing nets that we seized.”

Mr La added that the fish were released back into the lake.

He noted that through cooperation with other relevant authorities, illegal fishing activities along the lake had decreased compared with the same period last year.

“This month, we cracked down on 25 cases and so far in five cases, 19 people have been sent to jail,” Mr La said.

He added that to reduce illegal activities along Tonle Sap lake, the provincial fisheries administration and local authorities will increase daily patrols and hold more activities to raise awareness about the closed fishing season.

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