Destructive fishing and hydropower dams on free flowing rivers are two main reasons for the extinction of some freshwater fish in Cambodia including the Giant Barb and Isok, a report by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) revealed on Wednesday.
In addition to the two causes, the report highlights overfishing, habitat destruction, over abstraction of water for irrigation and domestic, agricultural and industrial pollution that are of threats to freshwater ecosystems where fish live.
It also says that freshwater fish at risk from the introduction of invasive non-native species and the impacts of climate change as well as unsustainable sand mining and wildlife crime.
The report acknowledges the Mekong River as one of the world’s most productive inland fisheries with over 1,100 species of fish.
Giant Barb and Isok Barb are classified as critically endangered both globally and in Cambodia, while Giant Goonch, Mekong Tiger Perch and Elephant-ear Gourami are classified as endangered in the Kingdom.
Titled “World’s Forgotten Fishes”, the report details the extraordinary variety of freshwater fish species, with the latest discoveries taking the total to 18,075 – accounting for over half of all the world’s fish species and a quarter of all vertebrate species on Earth.
“This wealth of species is essential to the health of the world’s rivers, lakes and wetlands – and supports societies and economies across the globe,” it said.
Seng Teak, country director of WWF-Cambodia said that despite their importance to local communities, freshwater fish are invariably forgotten.
“Freshwater fish matters to the health of people and the freshwater ecosystems that all people and all life on land depend on. It’s time that we should remember that,” he said.
It recorded that Cambodian people currently get around 16 percent of their animal protein and 28 percent of their lysine from freshwater fish from the Mekong River basin
The 2017 Annual Fisheries Production Report by the Cambodian Government’s Fisheries Administration showed that fisheries sector contributes eight percent of the country’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP).
In the report, it reveals that freshwater fisheries provide the main source of protein for 200 million people across Asia, Africa and South America, as well as jobs and livelihoods for 60 million people.
Healthy freshwater fish stocks also sustain two huge global industries: recreational fishing generates over $100 billion annually, while aquarium fish are the world’s most popular pets and drive a global trade worth up to $30 billion.
But accordingly, freshwater fish continue to be undervalued and overlooked – and thousands of species are now heading towards extinction.
“Freshwater biodiversity is declining at twice the rate of that in our oceans or forests. Indeed, 80 species of freshwater fish have already been declared ‘Extinct’ by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, including 16 in 2020 alone,” the report added.
Meanwhile, populations of migratory freshwater fish have fallen by 76 percent since 1970 and mega-fish by a catastrophic 94 percent.
Stuart Orr, WWF global freshwater manager, said nowhere is the world’s nature crisis more acute than in rivers, lakes and wetlands, and the clearest indicator of the damage people are doing is the rapid decline in freshwater fish populations.
“They are the aquatic version of the canary in the coalmine, and we must heed the warning,” he said.
He added: “What we need now is to recognise the value of freshwater fish and fisheries, and for governments to commit to new targets and solutions implementation, as well as prioritising which freshwater ecosystems need protection and restoration.”
He also stressed the need to see partnerships and innovation through collective action involving governments, businesses, investors, civil society and communities.
“Cambodia’s correct decision is an example for other countries, recognising free-flowing rivers provide invaluable benefits for people and countless wild species that depend on,” said Teak.
According to the WWF, the governments’ decision in imposing a 10-year moratorium of hydropower dams on the mainstream of the Mekong River has been praised and factoring freshwater fishes into development decisions are the best management practise the government has done which needs to be the rule.
2021 Virtus Media Pte., Ltd. (Khmer Times)