Water resources policy and administrative management

The project site is located in Kampong Samaki Community Fishery,Kampong Thnort and Kampong Norng Villages, Koun Sat Commune, Kampot District, Kampot Province. This community has 80 ha of mangrove forest along coastal line and thousands of sea grass and coral reefs in the sea, most people about 65 % get income by fishing in mangrove and sea grass areas, 40 % they has rice field. beside all these works, they has small jobs in the village such as pearl crabs, make dry shrimps, sell goods, fuel and fishing materials, vegetable, animal raising so on . In the past years, these resources were declining by differences ways, example: Mangrove forest was destroyed, cutting by local people under support from rich people and powerful for land encroachment and salt field. Sea grass and coral reefs was destruction and pollutions by big illegal fishing activity, illegal fishing gears which were used big fishing boats in the shallow water, in especially from big fishing boats and modern fishing gear from nearest outsider country and some time make conflict each other. This project site is a sample of demonstration site of Strategic Action Programm for the South China Sea, so that, to involve for resolution these problems, the Kampong Samaki Community Fishery has developed a proposal submitted to GEF SGP UNDP for improving natural and coastal resources protection. The project is aiming at the protection and conservation of 40 ha of sea grass through the establishment and protection of a community conservation area aiming at increasing fish stock which will help to improve the fish habitat and increase biodiversity in Community Fisheries areas. The project also provides education to communities to appreciate and protect environmental resources which could lead to a decrease or end of illegal fishing. In addition to that the project will empower women in participation and leadership in group management through organizing them 3 saving groups (10-15 women each) to participate in protection and conservation of natural resources and actively take part in other community development activities. Key project outputs: community committees has meeting quarterly regularly with technical department 08 times in cycles of project and solved 16 conflicts cases related to environmental, natural resources management, Conservation 56 ha of sea grass Created 02 saving groups, 08 community committee members has trained on natural resources management Educated and disseminated on environmental and fishery law to community members 06 times. Key activities in project are: 1.Community quarterly regularly meeting, 2.Sea grass protection and conservation, 3.Established Local Micro-Finance (Saving Groups) and jobs creation in the Village, 4.Capacity building and environmental, fishery law education.

Cambodia