Crab fisheries in Cambodia and the development of crab banks

The crab (swimming crab; Portunus pelagicus) fishery in coastal Cambodia appears to have declined in recent years due to over-fishing and a growth in the number of fishermen, but remains an important source of income for households along the coast. Several initiatives have started since 2007, with support from NGOs, international organizations and the Fisheries Administration (FiA), to test stock enhancement techniques through the release of crab larvae. The so-called “crab bank” initiative involves keeping harvested gravid crabs alive in cages for a few days until they spawn, instead of immediately selling them for consumption or processing. In Cambodia, this initiative has developed within the framework of Community Fisheries (CFis) and thus implies a communitybased approach. The FiA has promoted the continuation of such initiatives; however, the nature of crab fisheries and the results from crab bank initiatives have not been documented in detail. The scope of this study was to understand the diversity of approaches to crab bank development in Cambodia, as well as their operational status and the challenges faced at differen

Tonle Sap scoping report

The scoping mission team was composed of 14 people representing research institutions (RUPP), government (FiA, IFReDI), NGOs (ANKO, ADIC) and CGIAR institutions (WorldFish and Bioversity). The scoping trip was carried out over a 7-day period from April 28 to May 4 within eight (8) communities in Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Battambang, Pursat and Kampong Chhnang. In addition, panel discussions were held with local government, fishery, agriculture and water management institutions, NGOs, the private sector and communities, and were convened in Siem Reap, Battambang and Pursat. The AAS scoping team focused their enquiries on five themes, and the findings of this report are presented in sections that highlight the opportunities, challenges and knowledge gaps related to each theme. The sections have been lightly edited to maintain the style and intention of the authors. The themes are: 1) AAS production systems--fish, rice, aquaculture. 2) Livelihoods, poverty, and gender equity . 3) Value chains and markets. 4) Institutions and governance. 5) Knowledge management and partnerships.