FAO.org

The importance of living aquatic resources to the people of Lao PDR is increasingly well understood. Their role is woven into the culture food and tradition of Loa people from every part of the country and each of its eco-regions. Lao PDR’s fisheries resources are an important source of nutritional quality in the diet as well as providing an important element of food security and source of income to the Lao People. The effective management of both fisheries and aquaculture is a critical need, as Lao PDR is rapidly changing its agriculture and water control systems. Declining fisheries resources as a result of increasing population pressures and environmental change are an increasing feature of the Lao landscape. The Government of Lao PDR has recognized the need for a national legal framework to be developed to enable the effective management of fisheries and aquaculture and requested the Department of Livestock and Fisheries to undertake this task. This review forms a background document to a legal review process for fisheries and aquaculture in Lao PDR. The output of this process has been the development of a draft framework for fisheries and aquaculture for further development into national legislation.