The fisheries authorities in Cambodia’s Pursat province who went on their enforcement operations down at the Tonle Sap lake arrested 30 men red-handed for illegal fishing yesterday.
Provincial Fisheries Department director Phum Vimol said that the arrest and seizure of 10 boats were made with the cooperation and support of the police in Krakor district.
They also seized fishing nets, 1,020 fishing poles and the 10 kilogrammes of fish that were confiscated were released into the lake.
“This is the closed fishing season in Tonle Sap lake. These men were fishing illegally,” he added.
On June 26, the Ministry of Agriculture had directed the relevant authorities in Pursat province to be vigilant on illegal fishing in Tonle Sap lake and take stern action against those caught doing so.
Minister Veng Sokhon had even voiced his unhappiness over video evidence of fishermen encroaching into protected areas located in Pursat province’s Kandieng district.
A fisherman in Krakor district Mao Chan said the local authorities should rope them in so that they can also help them prevent illegal fishing in protected areas.
“It is because of these illegal fishing activities, that the legal fishermen have very little catch. It is sad that the lake now has very few fish for us to catch because of these unscrupulous men,” he added.
On Saturday, police detained 19 Vietnamese, including two women in Pursat province, for using illegal equipment in a protected area in Koh Ka Ek village in Kandieng district’s Raingtoel commune, said Pursat province programme coordinator for the Fisheries Action Coalition Team, Minh Bunly yesterday.
The authorities also seized illegal fishing equipment including two 1,000 metre long freshwater fishing nets, eight boats fitted with large engines, and 115kg of fish.
Bunly has called on the government to take stern action against those who fish illegally as it was becoming rampant.
“While the relevant authorities are fighting hard to contain illegal fishing, there must also be action taken against these people that will deter others from doing it,” he said, adding that from his observation, most of the offences are done by the rich and powerful and not the locals.
Krakor district police chief Colonel Liv Seng Him said they have destroyed all seized equipment at the site and appealed to people not to fish illegally to avoid legal action and losing their equipment.
2021 Virtus Media Pte., Ltd. (Khmer Times)