Unofficial Translation of Selected Comments
National Fish Day: Fishes, Amphibians & Reptiles Released
July 01, 2009
It is indeed a great pleasure to be back in the province of Kep once again after my last visit in 2003. I am glad that we are here today for a get together that might not be possible before as this is the place considered to be one of the most frequently disturbed by war activities To our left is what is called the Phnom Voar where in 1994 three foreigners one French, one British and one Australian were arrested and later killed by the Khmer Rouge forces. Imagine if we were to organize a meeting as such here at that time, the Khmer Rouge remnants would have shelled on us and truer of all, our people would not have come and joined us here as they do today
Going a bit further in the Cambodian history, right here was indeed the Japanese military airbase in the time of the second world war However, this field of about two hundred hectares would not be rebuilt into airbase again but the state property I am so glad that today we will put about one million small fishes into the natural system along with those amphibians and reptiles such as tortoises, frogs, eels and lobsters National Fish Day is annually celebrated and as of 2002 we have issued September 25, 2002 sub-decree to make if an official event and to urge our people to conduct fish farming to lessen dependency on those from the natural system
In the past, the systems were all deep and there were not many people to feed. Now those systems have gone gradually shallower and more people need to be fed, making the systems no longer viable and strong enough to do so A reverse trend between over population and environmental degradation requires us to carefully think about nutrition and food in general for our people We leave no stone unturned by taking measures to protect and also to raise fish It is so good now that everywhere in our country fish can be released and raised because of the absence of war
Please allow me in this opportune moment to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in fostering development from one stage to another and the progress has been made clear by the speech of HE Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that throughout the country, we now have 165 fish breeding sites from which about 60 million baby fishes would be hatched and released thereafter into the natural system
I also urge the Ministry of Water Resources to build and renovate more canals, water ways and systems so that more fish could be released Cambodia has been known and classified to be the world number one fish consumer according to a released figure of an average of 50 kg of fish per person per annum versus that of the worlds average figure of 30 kg per person per annum It is in this meaning that we have reviewed the fishing lots and decided to cut a size of about 56% from the total fishing area for use by people
According to a study, fisheries and fishing give works to 1.4 million people and about 6 million others have their businesses or careers more or less related to fisheries take for instance they not only catch but also buy and sell fishes Prime Minister of Vietnam said to me once that his people raised Tilabya fish along the seashore, the catch of which allows an export worth of two billion US dollars per annum
Relating to this, consideration must be given to allowing our people to raise fish in river, canals, streams, etc. but one point that needs to be clarified here is no ownership of any kind would be allowed for such activities I have already stated a prohibition of sand pumping in the sea. I have a concern that I would be blamed later in the Cambodian history As far as sand extracting from the river system is concerned in Kompong Chams Koh Pen there are plenty of sand but no one seems to be interested, only those at Neak Loeung and further down the Mekong that could result in land erosion, etc. Companies wanted to pump sand from deep river beds because it will be clean as sand on shallower levels would need to be refined and cleaned Coupling with lack of knowledge and professional opinion on possible consequences from those actions, I have ordered closure of sand business
I would urge all fishing lots as concessions from the state to conserve fish varieties and to have their own fish breeding culture and system as they have to be stated clearly in the contracts Make stronger efforts to collect income for the state from fishing
As for the province of Kep it is true that some developments are quite obvious but from the helicopter I have noticed that some residential lands have been left empty and unmanaged grasses and bushes have grown wildly into the streets, which I think owners have to take measures about that either to put up a fence or get to manage it in someway For the sake of Kep city to be beautiful and entertaining tourist destination, I would urge our people who have their residential areas there to take part in improving the beauty of the city.
I wish to share with our people that in my recent visit to Jeju island of the Republic of Korea, I have proposed some projects to its President HE Lee Myung Bank If approved the Republic of Koreas investment would be prevalent in the south and southwest of Cambodia We are looking for approval of the national road 31, from Takhmao to the border with Vietnam, national 22 from Takeo to Ang Tasaom, and a new road around Phnom Penh, plus a bridge at Takhmao ■
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