Background
Fisheries conservation in Cambodia is managed through state institutions, technical departments, local authorities, communities, and partner organizations that support habitat protection and species recovery. Cambodia’s fisheries conservation system includes the protection of aquatic habitats, the management of threatened aquatic species, and cooperation with communities that depend on river and coastal ecosystems.
The royal turtle, or Batagur affinis, is Cambodia’s national reptile symbol and was designated by royal decree in 2005. The species is classified as critically endangered and is reported by the ministry as present in only Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Species releases are a conservation tool used to rebuild wild populations when they are connected to breeding, habitat protection, and monitoring activities.
The Sre Ambel creek system is part of the aquatic habitat used for royal turtle conservation in Cambodia. Conservation work in such habitats depends on preventing illegal fishing, reducing habitat damage, and monitoring released animals after they return to natural waterways.
Key Developments
On 29 April 2026, H.E. Im Rachna, Undersecretary of State in charge of fisheries conservation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, led the release of 20 royal turtles into the habitat of the Sre Ambel creek system in Kampong Hluong commune, Kampong Seila district, Preah Sihanouk province.
The ministry said the release was intended to increase the wild stock of the species. The event was organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society in cooperation with the Fisheries Conservation Department of the General Directorate of Fisheries.
Participants included representatives from the Singaporean government, the Koh Kong provincial administration, the Fisheries Conservation Department, WCS Cambodia, district and commune authorities, village authorities, and community representatives. The ministry reported that about 50 people attended.
Institutional Role
The Fisheries Conservation Department functions as the technical unit involved in aquatic species conservation under the General Directorate of Fisheries. In this case, the department worked with WCS and local stakeholders to carry out a release activity for a critically endangered species.
H.E. Im Rachna described the release as part of Cambodia’s commitment to protecting a national natural heritage species. She also called on authorities and community members to continue preventing illegal fishing and habitat destruction.
Conservation and Monitoring Implications
The ministry reported that cooperation among the General Directorate of Fisheries, WCS, and fishing communities has been active since 2000. According to the ministry, 785 royal turtles are currently being cared for at conservation centers.
The ministry also stated that 284 hatchlings were produced from conservation centers during the last five years. It said 400 turtles have previously been released back into the wild, including 217 turtles fitted with transmitters for survival studies.
