Tonle Sap Lake Crackdown Intensifies on Illegal Fishing Gear in Kampong Thom

A crackdown on illegal fishing activities in the Tonle Sap Lake has been intensified in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia. On September 1, 2026, under the leadership of Mr. Chin Sitha, Director of the Kampong Thom Provincial Department of Fisheries, a joint operation was conducted with officials from the department, its branches, and the light command post stationed in Phat Sanday commune. The operation, which also saw the participation of H.E. Pen Phallika, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, targeted illegal fishing in the area from the small buoy to the Asim in Phat Sanday commune, Stoung district, Kampong Thom province. As a result, the specialized forces implemented measures in two cases, dismantling, cutting, and destroying illegal fishing gear on the spot. This included five sets of gillnets exceeding the defined length, totaling 1350 meters, ten fishing baskets, and twenty fishing traps (lu or lob). In a second case, three sets of gillnets with fine mesh were dismantled, totaling 600 meters, along with six fishing baskets, twelve traps, and nine hundred wooden stakes. On the same day, Mr. Keo Sokhoeun, a fisheries administration official from Baray district stationed in Tang Korng district, joined forces with the Koh Reas light command post. They conducted an operation to crack down on illegal fishing in the areas of Prek Toal, Krabey Sahav, Stung Roth, and Ta Thi Dam, located within Slao commune, Tang Korng district, Kampong Thom province. In three cases, illegal fishing gear was dismantled and destroyed on the spot. This included six sets of mosquito nets, totaling 315 meters, six baskets, six traps, and seventy-two stakes. Approximately 75 kilograms of fresh mixed fish were also released back into the natural lake. Additionally, one set of fine-mesh gillnets, measuring 115 meters, along with one basket and one trap, were seized. Another string of 100 eel traps, measuring 10 meters in length, was also confiscated. These crackdowns are part of the Cambodian government's ongoing efforts to protect the ecosystem of the Tonle Sap Lake and ensure the sustainability of its fishery resources. Illegal fishing practices are known to contribute to the depletion of fish stocks and the degradation of the aquatic environment, prompting authorities to maintain vigilance and strengthen enforcement measures.