Net widens on fishing trap ban
Less than a week after banning commercial fishing in Tonle Sap Lake, Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a sub-decree on Monday extending the ban to four provinces along the Mekong River. According to the sub-decree, signed March 5 and released publicly yesterday, commercial fishing will be outlawed in Kandal, Kampong Cham, Takeo and Prey Veng provinces, effective April 10. “All fishing lots, except those for lobster and linh fishing, will be closed on April 10,” the decree said, and only available for use by families thereafter. Lobster and linh fishing did not pose serious problems, so were excluded from the ban, Por Try, secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said. Por Try vowed to “follow the government order” and said the Prime Minister had first discussed the ban with his ministry at a meeting “a few weeks ago”. Mina Bunly, co-ordinator for NGO Fisheries Action Coalition Team, applauded the announcement. …
