Bagnet fishers hauled in over 16,000 tons of fish from the Tonle Sap between October

2004 and March 2005, the biggest catch since systematic records have been kept, according

to a report in the May issue of Catch and Culture, published by the Mekong River

Commission. This year's catch follows on the heels of the lowest catch in recorded

history, just 6,000 tons during the 2003-2004 season. Experts speculate that the

low catches from previous seasons were due to light rainfall, lower flood levels

and illegal fishing during the closed season. They hope this year's high numbers

reflect a reduction in illegal fishing, as well as higher water levels, pointing

to an extensive education and enforcement campaign carried out in 2004. The fish

were mostly a small cyprinid species known as trey riel.