Background
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries presented national management and protection measures for Mekong river dolphins at the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC70) in Hobart, Australia. Cambodia established management and protection zones for Mekong river dolphins in 2012.
The government has complemented spatial protections with legal and operational measures: the fisheries law enacted in 2025 strengthened statutory safeguards for freshwater cetaceans, and the state registered 32,839 hectares of riverine habitat as land dedicated to dolphin conservation. Seventy-two river guards conduct continuous, 24-hour patrols in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces to protect river dolphins.
Scope of Application
The regulatory measures apply to designated Mekong river dolphin management and protection zones, including areas registered as state land for conservation. The 2025 fisheries law provides the statutory framework for protecting aquatic species within Cambodia’s inland fisheries jurisdiction and for governing permitted activities inside designated conservation areas.
Key Provisions or Decisions
Key governance actions cited by the ministry include: (1) creation of dolphin management and protection zones in 2012; (2) legal reinforcement through the 2025 fisheries law; (3) formal registration of 32,839 hectares as state land for conservation purposes; and (4) deployment of 72 river guards to maintain continuous patrols in priority provinces. The ministry also reported expanded monitoring methods, including drones, automated camera systems, underwater acoustic monitoring, and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to improve detection and population assessment.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
Strengthened statutory protections and formal conservation zoning increase compliance obligations for commercial and subsistence activities conducted inside designated riverine protection areas. Operators and projects that affect inland waterways in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces will need to account for the fisheries law provisions and any site-specific restrictions established under the management zones.
Official Source
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries statement delivered at IWC70 (Hobart); original post: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1422930359965512/
