As one of the world’s most unique freshwater ecosystems, the Tonle Sap lake is a dynamic socio-natural system. It is also a system under threat by rapid environmental change and weak governance. Not only does this have implications for the wider Tonle Sap ecosystem, but for the livelihoods of millions of Cambodian citizens, who depend on this natural ecosystem, especially fish.
To address this, IUCN and its member organization - Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT), began implementing a four year (2013-2016) EU-funded project to improve the livelihoods of fishing communities in three target sites in the Tonle Sap lake: Kampong Phluk, Boeung Chhmar, and Phlov Touk.
In collaboration with the target communities and local authorities, each site has implemented a small-scale fish conservation area (FCA) where fishing is prohibited year round. The goal of the FCA is to combine conservation principles with an ecosystem-based approach to improve livelihood benefits and conserve a critical natural resource.
In the process, we have tackled several sustainable development goals - addressing the challenges of climate change (SDG 13), working to reduce rural poverty and food insecurity (SDG 1; SDG 2), and of course, working to build on the sustainable development and ecosystem conservation objectives of the Cambodian Government, European Union, UNESCO, and Ramsar Convention (SDG 17).
Throughout the Action, the physical demarcation of the FCAs had a big positive impact on local support and participation. With the demarcation established and with an on-going knowledge campaign regarding the benefits of ecosystem-based conservation, the FCAs became operational in 2015. Since then, communities have reported remarkable increases in the amount of fish that have spawned and harvested for subsistence and income.
The Action also greatly improved relations between local authorities and the CFis; local authorities became increasingly involved in law enforcement during the Action. The CFi committees are now confident enough to seek external assistance without intervention from us.
In its final year in 2016, the major long-term financing opportunities were identified include: sourcing money from CFi membership fees, defining a buffer zone payment, receiving funding from ecotourism, and receiving funding from community savings group.
Overall, this innovative Action has demonstrated that with proper co-management, conservation, securing sustainable financing, and due care of the ecosystem services, equitable fishery and livelihood benefits can flow to all – and can ensure the resilience of the incredible wetlands ecosystem that many of these residents call home.
Ecosystem: Freshwater , Resources: Fish , Big Issues: Resource use , Solutions: Empowerment , Solutions: Governance/Management
