Fisheries policy development in Lao PDR operates in the context of stagnating or declining capture fisheries. The future of fish production from the Mekong River and its tributaries is clouded by the prospect of extensive dam construction and the effects of illegal fishing practices.
The important subsistence fishery which exploits the extensive wetlands of the country will face declining yields as a consequence of the growing population and effects of land reclamation.
On the positive sides, enormous scope exists for the development of fish culture in reservoirs, rice fields and ponds. The role of the private sector will be central in the expansion of aquaculture.
