About one thousand metres of illegal fishing nets and other illegal equipment were burned after they were confiscated from five provinces around the Tonle Sap lake in late December and early this year, an official said yesterday.

Chan Yutha, Tonle Sap Authority secretary-general and chief of cabinet at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, said that about 1,000 metres of nets and other  equipment had been seized since December 27  in Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat and Battambang provinces.

He added that last year officials had raided about 2,000 locations where illegal fishing was occurring, and 100 locations in the most recent crackdown.

“Illegal fishing activities in the Tonle Sap have decreased since the Tonle Sap Authority has taken measures against them,” he said. “We will continue to crack down on illegal fishing activity.”

Last week Nao Thuok, director of the Fisheries Administration at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, told the Post that the price for fish was roughly half what it was this time last year partly because officials and the fishing community had cracked down on illegal fishing.

Chan Yutha said that, so far, no arrests had been made in connection with illegal fishing, but those who continued to use prohibited equipment would be punished under the law.

He added that local officials had closed 35 fishing lots in provinces around the Tonle Sap lake where people were using illegal equipment.