Legislation aimed at saving Cambodia’s dwindling population of endangered Irrawaddy dolphins was submitted to the Council of Ministers last week, the director of the Department of Fisheries Nao Thuok said yesterday.

The sub-decree would promote the conservation of dolphin habitats, while stepping up fishing regulations along the Mekong River in Stung Treng and Kratie provinces. Nao Thuok said that, if approved, one of the most important parts would create a 180-kilometre-long strip along the Mekong River where restrictions – such as the ban of gill nets and nets with holes smaller than 15   centimetres wide – would be in place.

“With effective enforcement [it] should reduce the number of dolphin deaths,” country director of the World Wildlife Foundation Seng Teak said.