DW Mekong River Cambodia (67 images)

When the fish is gone

The small-scale fishing industry of Cambodia and southern Vietnam, sustained by the waters of the Mekong River has for centuries supported a population of tens of millions of Asians. In recent years the fish populations have declined dramatically: between 40 and 60 percent. Many blame the Chinese for constructing several dams in the upper reaches of the Mekong. The dams seem to affect the seasonal monsoon floods that provide nutrients for rice fields and...
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When the fish is gone

The small-scale fishing industry of Cambodia and southern Vietnam, sustained by the waters of the Mekong River has for centuries supported a population of tens of millions of Asians. In recent years the fish populations have declined dramatically: between 40 and 60 percent. Many blame the Chinese for constructing several dams in the upper reaches of the Mekong. The dams seem to affect the seasonal monsoon floods that provide nutrients for rice fields and habitat for young fish throughout the region. Reduced flood levels prevent wetlands, the nurseries of most fish in the river, to submerge. Rice fields miss out on their annual flood, forcing the farmers to increase the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Climate change, explosive population growth and overfishing are other contributing causes.

The Mekong river was until recently one of the very few undeveloped major rivers in the world. But the riparian countries are quickly catching up following the rapid economic development of the region. The question is if the governments will be able to avoid making the same mistakes that ruined ecosystems in other major river systems. An interregional advisory body, the Mekong River Commission recently celebrated a small victory when it managed to postpone the construction of the big Xayaburi dam in Laos. But the fishermen on the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia and in the Vietnamese Mekong delta wonder how long their way of life will survive.
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