The Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT), an environmental group, hosted a mass mangrove planting on Wednesday in Preah Sihanouk province.

Nearly 10,000 mangrove seedlings were planted in the event presided over by Nao Thouk, director general of the Fisheries Administration and governor of Preah Sihanouk province.

Om Savath, programme manager of the Fisheries Action Coalition Teams, said Wednesday that hundreds of hectares of natural mangrove forests have been destroyed in recent years through deforestation.

Ing Try, deputy director of the Fisheries Administration within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said mangrove forests play an important role in the survival of fish and other marine species and thus can help boost fishermen's incomes.

"Mangrove forests could directly benefit coastal fishing communities by more than US$2,000 per hectare per year," he said.