Cambodia takes green-conscious stance

Cambodia takes green-conscious stance

By Mark Dodd

CHILLI RIVER, Koh Kong, Cambodia (Reuter): Cambodia has taken a green-conscious stance in a battle to preserve a dwindling mangrove forest ecosystem being threatened by Thai-financed Cambodian shrimp farmers.

The source of the problem is the growing appetite among Cambodians and Thais for shrimp, whose ocean population has become severely depleted from years of over-fishing.

With the local fleet's crustacean catch in decline, a handful of Thai businessmen based in Trat province came up with the idea of financing more than 100 shrimp farms in neighboring Koh Kong, Cambodia's most southwesterly province, just ten minutes by speedboat from Thailand.

In the rush to establish shrimp farms along the lower reaches of the Chilli River, vast swathes of pristine mangrove forest were cleared to allow the excavation of the 10,000-square metre (11,960 square yards) breeding ponds.

"We have statistics on the mangroves and after a particular investigation by the ministry we had reports from local authorities that the shrimp farms had expanded into the mangroves," said Environment Minister Mok Mareth.

"Now the government has ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to stop issuing licenses for shrimp farming -- temporarily."

The decision was issued in cooperation with the environment ministry, Ministry of Agriculture and with the support of the country's two prime ministers, he said.

"We will send our staff with the Ministry of Agriculture to evaluate the possibility of shrimp farming along (other areas of) our coastal zone," Mareth said, adding that Cambodia had just 30,000 hectares (74,100 acres) of mangrove forest, half the area it possessed 25 years ago.

Traveling upriver from Koh Kong port, the handiwork of the shrimp farmers is easily visible, with skull and crossbones signs scattered around to deter uninvited visitors.

Gaping scars in the shape of large rectangular cleared areas among the mangrove forest mark the site of a shrimp farm.

A riverside workshed, piles of discarded feed bags, drums of chemicals, fluorescent lights and the repetitive thump of dozens of small diesel generators needed to power the oxygen paddles in breeding ponds complete the farm scene.

Away from the chemically-colored shrimp breeding ponds, the Chilli River is a nature lover's paradise.

A thick tangled forest of mangroves crowds right up to the riverbank and is home to a diverse variety of wildlife.

The mangrove forest provides a secure nesting area for many bird species, in addition to its vital role in the food chain as bountiful provider of organic nutrients.

Koh Kong's vice-governor Ing Van said the shrimp industry was controlled by about "four or five big businessmen".

Ownership

While Cambodians have nominal ownership, the farms are managed and funded by Thais.

The shrimp harvest is also mainly sold to Thais.

One shrimp farmer, Sarin, said he had earned two million baht (US$78,000) from two harvests in one year.

"Last year the price of shrimp went up -- and so did the number of farms," he said.

Freshly harvested shrimp were worth up to 300 baht ($12) per kilo, said Sarin.

He said more than 500 hectares of mangrove forest had been illegally cleared despite its classification as "forest reservation".

The pursuit of "quick money" had resulted in the destruction of the mangroves although properly managed shrimp farming could be an important source of income for Cambodia, Mareth said.

The environmental impact of pumping pond water, heavily polluted with shrimp excreta and chemicals, into the Chilli River is also cause for concern about the long-term viability of the Koh Kong mangrove forests.