Environmental research

The project on enhancement and conservation of brood fish in Kampong Damrei, Sampoch, Koh Bunly and improvement of local livelihood in Pot Sar and Cham Pei communes, Takeo province because natural resources in the three areas had undergone substantial destruction from clearing of flooded forest that destroyed fish spawning grounds and other aquatic resources, with the natural environment heavily damaged, resulting in disasters such as prolonged droughts, floods, strong windstorms, and lightning. Since the areas have the potential for enhancing fisheries and natural environment for adapting to climate change the Pot Sar and Champei Communities fisheries proposed a project with 4 major activities as follows: 1. Awareess raising and education on the importance of natural resource management; 2. Improvement of habitats for brood fish; 3. Replanting of flooded forest; and 4. Development of women saving groups. The project was developed in accordance with the commune action plan and vulnerability reduction assessment and submitted for funding support by UNDP. 1.2 Project goal The goal of the project is to reverse the situation and restore the natural condition including restoring species of key fish and other aquatic resources and natural environment with the aims to improve local livelihood and to benefit socio-economic and environmental outcome and as a result, build resilience of the people in the communities to climate change and contribute to poverty reduction. Specific objectives: - Objective 1: Improve brood fish habitat in Kampong Damrei, Koh Bunli and Sampoch reservoir; -Objective 2: Restore flooded forest and improve fish production in the three conservation areas, Kampong Damrei, Sampoch and Koh Bunly; -Objective 3: Establish women self-help groups to provide more livelihood opportunities for community fisheries members; and -Objective 4: Raise awareness and education on the importance for the management of natural resources. 1.3 Key expected outputs: - Output 1.1 (Objective 1): Brood fish habitats at Kampong Damrei, Koh Bunli and Sampoch reservoir are clearly delineated, demarcated, effectively conserved and recognised by fisheries administration and local authorities; - Output 2.1 (Objective 2): 21,625 m2 of flooded forest replanted and artificial habitats (brush garden) deployed in 70,250 m2 of conservation areas; - Output 3.1 (Objective 3): Diversified livelihood of the households who have handed over illegal and destructive fishing gears to local authorities and community fisheries; and - Output 4.1 (Objective 3): Illegal fishing practices eliminated (protection of brood fish and flooded forest). 1.4 Major project activities Output 1.1 (Objective 1) Activities: - Rehabilitate the pond (30 m x 30 x 4 m ) serving as brood fish habitat at Kampong Damrei; - Strengthen the planted posts and plant 1,207 additional posts, 0.1 x 0.1 x 2.3 m; -Improve brood fish habitats by putting dead brushes in the three conservation areas; - Place 10 information sign boards and 2 direction sign boards at Pot Sar and Champei communes; and - Patrol to deter and prevent illegal fishing activities and protect flooded forests to provide for fish habitats at Cheu Long lake and the tree conservation areas in Kampong Samrei, Sampoch and Koh Bunli. Output 2.1 (Objective 2) Activities: - Plant 5406 saplings of flooded forest trees in Kampong Damrei conservation area; and - Organise a ceremony to release 16,133 fish fingerlings into the three conservation areas; Output 3.1 (Objective 3) Activities: - Establish women saving groups from households who had handed over illegal and destructive fishing gears and poor households with the participation of local authority in selecting saving group members and executive members; - Develop by-law and internal rules governing the saving groups with the participation of local authorities; and - Provide training on administration, operation, and recoding of loan and revenue to the saving group fund. Output 4.1 (Objective 3) Activities: - Provide training on the importance for natural resource protection at Cheung Long lake and the brood fish conservation areas; - Strengthen patrol teams, conduct patrol and protect Cheung Long lake through collaboration with Bati fisheries triage, local agencies and authority; and - Provide fish raising technology to households who had handed over illegal and destructive fishing gears and community fisheries to discourage illegal fishing activities and improve local livelihood and protection of fisheries resources.

Cambodia