Managing fish, flood plains and food security in the Lower Mekong Basin

The “Lower Mekong Basin” in this paper refers to the part of the Mekong River Basin which is shared by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam, all members of the Mekong River Commission, consisting of approx. 2,400 km of mainstream river, numerous tributaries and huge flood plains. Few river basins produce as much fish as the Mekong River Basin, and the fishery in the Lower Mekong Basin is among the biggest and most productive inland fisheries in the world. The flood plains of the Lower Mekong produce some four times as much fish per square kilometre as the North Sea, which is among the most productive marine areas in the world.

It is quite clear that the fisheries in the Mekong Basin are very important for the population in respect to their food security and income. Its importance in nutrition is highest in the rural areas, where there are few other low cost sources of protein, and even in highland areas fish is of crucial importance in the diet. Most fish species in the Mekong Basin are migratory, and the economically most important ones are certainly so.

However, with economic development gaining speed, the impact on migratory patterns and the competition for the water resources are becoming stronger. The water resources offer a large number of opportunities, and a lot of economic activities need access to the water resources for their development. However, what is seen in one sector as an opportunity may be considered as a threat in another, and a careful balance is necessary in order not to lose opportunities in important sectors. The fate of a large number of river basins in the world is frightening. Most have been left biologically near dead, with some of the big rivers reduced for a time, or forever, to be used as waste water canals for the new industries, and others almost dried out from excessive water extraction before they reach the sea.