Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia stands as Asia’s largest freshwater body and one of the world’s most productive fisheries systems, crucial for supplying 60% of Cambodia’s protein intake, according to the World Conservation Society Cambodia (WCS). It's not only a biodiversity treasure but also a lifeline for numerous fishing communities along its shores.
Despite its importance, Tonlé Sap Lake faces severe threats from climate change, environmental degradation, and the construction of large dams upstream on the Mekong River. A report by the World Wildlife Fund indicates that 90% of the lake’s freshwater swamp forests have been destroyed. Illegal fishing compounds these issues, with operations using destructive methods like 2,000-meter-long nets and electrocution, devastating fish populations critical for local livelihoods.
In response, the European Union launched the 'Our Tonlé Sap' initiative in 2021, a four-year, EUR 4.9 million project aimed at revitalising the lake’s biodiversity and supporting local communities amidst these challenges.
One key area of intervention is the Preak Toal conservation area in Battambang, where the EU supports Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration in managing sustainable, community-based fishing practices. This includes deploying 4,540 patrols across 178,131 sq-km of the lake to combat illegal fishing and restore flooded forests destroyed by fires. These EU-backed projects have seen the lake’s fish stock slowly recover.
The rangers make it easy for us to make a living. If they see illegal fishing activity, they stop it. They only allow fishing with small nets, like ours. There are more [fish] this year.
The EUR 4.9 million 'Our Tonle Sap' project is Cambodia’s pioneering landscape initiative spanning four years (2021-2024), supported by a consortium including RECOFTC, NatureLife Cambodia, SHE enterprises, Oxfam, CDPO, ForumCiv, and Sansom Mlup Prey Organisation.
The ultimate goal of this project is to build resilience against environmental changes impacting ecosystems, communities, and biodiversity through a comprehensive, multi-scaled, integrated landscape approach. This strategy emphasises promoting sustainable development practices and policies, and enhancing awareness of the importance of Tonle Sap.