Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Officers get ready for patrol on the Tonle Sap Lake in Pursat province on April 2. VENG SAKHON VIA FACEBOOK

Plans to stop illegal fishing detailed

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has laid out a four-point plan to help sub-national authorities effectively investigate and prosecute natural resource crimes within their jurisdictions.

In a notice entitled “Measures to strengthen prevention and enforcement of forest, wildlife and fisheries crimes” issued last week, agriculture minister Veng Sakhon instructed sub-national administrations to step up investigations and action on natural resource crimes so that they do not become widespread.

He laid out the four-point plan and urged sub-national administrations to effectively implement it, as they are responsible for leading and coordinating with the various police forces across the Kingdom to preserve and protect natural resources.

They must prevent people from logging, burning, clearing or occupying forest land and flooded forest land. They have to take action to inspect timber stocks, and manage the circulation and processing of all kinds of timber products. They must also strictly enforce the nation’s fisheries laws.

“If they spot an offence being committed, they have to take action immediately, so that the offending does not become widespread and consequently harder to deal with.

“If an offence is complicated or being committed on a large scale, they should report it to – and seek immediate intervention from – the ministry and national-level institutions, so they

can resolve the case together, procedurally,” the notice said.

Kampong Thom provincial governor Nguon Ratanak told The Post that the provincial administration had set up a sub-committee tasked with inspecting, investigating and prosecuting forest, wildlife and fishery crimes and a team to spread the word about the new measures.

“At present, our team is continuing to gather statistics and data on people who use illegal fishing equipment. We have seized some equipment and are continuing to search for more offenders. We are building case files which will be referred to court,” he said.

He added that since Prime Minister Hun Sen gave the order to focus on fisheries crimes on March 23, his administration had led forces that had seized more than 3,000m of trawl nets and 6,000 wooden and bamboo fish traps, as well as more than 20 devices used to electrocute fish.

Battambang provincial governor Sok Lou told The Post that although fishery crimes in the province are very low, the provincial administration continued to monitor the situation, particularly in Sangke and Ek Phnom districts.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom