For Immediate Release
Press Release
Cambodia Recognized as Last Stronghold of the Mekong River's Freshwater Giants
Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Two critically endangered Mekong giant catfish and thousands of other endangered and ecologically important fish were released at the junction of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers to spotlight the plight of a species whose populations have decreased up to 99 percent in recent decades. Scientists hope it will lead to more concerted and coordinated conservation action, including greater outreach to communities living along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers.
H.E. Has Sareth, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Hanh Nguyen, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Mission Director; and Dr. Zeb Hogan of the USAID-funded Wonders of the Mekong project presided over the release ceremony near the Royal Palace in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh.
Also present was Mrs. Cheng Mouychhen, the fish farmer who reared the released Mekong giant catfish in her ponds. The catfish, weighed about 100 pounds (between 45-50 kilograms) and measured over five feet (1.6 meters). Among the other fish released were giant barb, a critically endangered carp species known as the “National Fish of Cambodia,” and striped catfish, a highly migratory fish that was once a staple food in the region but has seen sharp declines and is now classified as endangered.
“It is essential that we work together to save and conserve ecologically important and critically endangered fish species, like the Mekong giant catfish, in order to keep the Mekong River healthy. This will conserve natural ecosystems to support communities, wildlife, and economic activity across Cambodia,” said Nguyen.
"The addition of these fish, together with parallel efforts to protect wild fish and their habitats, represent a significant contribution to the persistence of these species in the wild,” said Dr. Hogan.
The giant catfish have all but disappeared from rivers outside Cambodia. Today, the Southeast Asian country is widely recognized as being the best hope for the persistence and recovery of the species, as well as other Mekong giants like the giant carp, giant freshwater stingray, wallago catfish, and seven-striped barb.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), through the Cambodian Fisheries Administration (FiA) and the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute (IFReDI), collaborate with Wonders of the Mekong to tag and release many endangered fish. "We want to encourage policies that enable this important resource to thrive in the wild," said H.E Has Sareth, Secretary of State.
Mrs. Mouychheng, representing the deep commitment of local communities, said “I am happy that my family can contribute to endangered fish conservation. This is what my husband wished before he passed away, to release these fishes back into the Mekong River.”
END NOTES:
- The Mekong giant catfish is one the Earth's largest freshwater fish. Reaching a maximum size of three meters in length and 300kg, the species is only found in the Mekong River. In Cambodia, small numbers are still caught from the Tonle Sap River bagnet (or dai) fishery as well as from the Cambodian Mekong River.
- Cambodia's free-flowing large rivers with intact floodplain and life-sustaining "flood pulse" are major factors in maintaining the basin’s tremendous biodiversity and productive fisheries. The conservation of Mekong giant catfish, a flagship species of the Mekong region, will help safeguard the livelihoods of the millions of people who depend on healthy productive fisheries in the river basin.
- The USAID-funded Wonders of the Mekong project works with government, NGO, and community partners, aiming to increase knowledge about the importance of the Mekong River and encourage sustainable use of Cambodia's aquatic resources.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Chea Seila
Project Manager, Wonders of the Mekong
Dr. Zeb Hogan
Project Lead, Wonders of the Mekong