EU and FAO Partner to Strengthen Cambodia's Fisheries Management
EU and FAO Partner to Strengthen Cambodia's Fisheries Management
17 May 2024, Phnom Penh-The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the European Union (EU), is supporting Cambodia's Fisheries Administration (FiA) by implementing the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) technology tool for improved fisheries law enforcement.
FAO's support complements the CAPFISH-Capture project, increasing FiA's capacity to utilize the SMART tool. This platform, comprising various software and analysis tools, aids officials in managing and safeguarding fisheries resources. To date, 500 officials from the fisheries administration and cantonment have been trained in all aspects of SMART implementation. The tool facilitates the collection, storage, analysis, and evaluation of data on patrol efforts, outcomes, threat levels, and other enforcement activities.
The EU-funded CAPFISH-Capture project aims to enhance compliance with regulations protecting Cambodia's fisheries resources. FAO's technical assistance in collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has assisted FiA with the development of SMART patrolling for fisheries in Cambodia to strengthen fisheries law enforcement.
During a two-day workshop from May 16-17, 2024, the background and achievements of SMART implementation in Cambodia were presented, along with future enforcement strategies using SMART to ensure sustainable fishing practices. Mr. Song Hong, Deputy Director General of the Fisheries Administration, stated, "SMART patrolling for fisheries in Cambodia has been in place since 2021, with over 45,000 inland and over 2,500 marine SMART inspections logged each year."
He added that marine and freshwater data models for SMART have been developed, a Khmer language interface for the latest version of SMART software has been implemented for computers and phones, and a core SMART team within FiA has been established to provide technical support to field staff, manage data, conduct analyses, and update data models.
"SMART is used worldwide in more than 1,000 conservation areas across 100 countries and has been adopted by over 25 governments as a standard for data and information management. In Cambodia, it has been deployed as a law enforcement monitoring tool at various terrestrial, freshwater, and marine sites since 2013," said Mr. Theodorus Visser, Technical Specialist (Freshwater Fisheries Management and Information), FAO Cambodia.
SMART is developed by a partnership that includes WCS, and seven other leading conservation agencies. It is a free open-source tool for measuring, evaluating and improving the effectiveness of law enforcement patrols and site-based conservation activities.
The lessons learned from SMART implementation in Cambodia will guide its application in other ASEAN countries and worldwide, contributing to effective marine and freshwater fisheries law enforcement and sustainable fisheries.
Supporting Sustainable Fisheries Resources
The Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector (CAPFISH-Capture) is one of the largest EU-supported fisheries programs globally. It aims to improve fisheries conservation, management, and compliance with fisheries laws and regulations, including the National Plan of Action to prevent, deter, and eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Marine Fishing.
CAPFISH-Capture seeks to help the Royal Government of Cambodia achieve sustainable, resilient, and inclusive freshwater and marine fisheries development, contributing to food security and poverty reduction. The program focuses on improving conservation, management, and compliance with fisheries laws and regulations, enhancing post-harvest fisheries, and increasing the resilience of fishing communities around the Tonle Sap and coastal areas.