Posted on May, 31 2017

WWF-Cambodia at the Mekong Flooded Forest (MFF) Landscape has been deeply involved in the law enforcement and projects activities. This quarter we witness the conservation outcome through the enforcement of the Urgent Action Plan developed with national and provincial level of Fisheries Administration (FiA).

Patrolling Activities:

The MFF law enforcement team and the provincial chief of river guards regularly conduct a meeting to strengthen our capacity and develop a patrolling work-plan to combat illegal fishing activities in the Mekong river.
There are 16 outposts in Kratie and Steung Treng province. We have an average of 20 days of patrolling. Our river guards have patrolled in equivalent to 978 days between January-March.

Within this period, the River guards have confiscated at least 218 sets of gillnets — equivalent to 11,105m length—. We have issued a call to action to stop illegal fishing activities immediately; however, it requires public awareness on the fishery laws of a sub-degree of Dolphin Managerial Protection.​​ In addition, the mobile patrolling team has conducted 80-days of patrolling within this quarter. The result has shown that there has been an increase of  77% in law enforcement at Kratie & 10% decrease in Steung Treng province based on a coordinated- work plan of three months. The team has confiscated 606 sets of gillnet equivalent to 33,999m length.

Birds Nest Protection

There were 46 nests of 4 endangered species and 87 chicks protected. The number of White-shoulder Ibis has increased followed by Lesser Adjutant and River Tern but White-rumped vultures remain the same number as the last season. 

Vulture Restaurant/Census

There were three census conducted at the Vulture restaurant at Srae Ou Koki village. 12 vultures were seen this season including: 5 Red-headed Vultures and 7 White-Rumped vultures.

Hog Deer Project Achievement

MFF field staff, local authorities, forest administration officials, and the local communities have conducted 2 patrolling efforts in a week’s time. They have removed 12 snares placed in the core zone of the hog deer habitat. We found 9 hog deer footprints and 2 places of hog deer manure have been recorded. To conserve the hog deer and their habitat, WWF has produced 7 billboards by installing within the core zone in order to engage the community movement to preserve hog deer and their habitat.

Educations and Awareness Outreach

Our Awareness Outreach programme plays a crucial role for programme support and function. During the reporting period between January-March 2017, the team has conducted various activities to promote the public awareness of biodiversity importance in MFF such as:

• Increase Awareness of Dolphin Conservation in 5 schools with 284 students;
• Provide 10 Communes workshop - 4 in Kratie and 6 in Stung Treng with 84 participants;
• Conduct 3 pagodas meeting with 15 monks to engage them to share/educate the community during the organizing tradition ceremony;
• Conduct Radio talk shows to raise public awareness
• Provide training of trainer to teacher club in Kratie to educate students at school;
• Produce information education materials (IECs) including 600 leaflets of tourism map, 4 photo stand banners, 4 I-stand, 40 Catalogues of dolphin photo id survey and monitoring.