From 28 July to 16 August, in order to implement the Five-Year Plan Action of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (2023-2027) and further enhance the capacity of Lancang-Mekong countries in the protection of endangered species such as Ichthyophthalmus dolphin and conservation of aquatic biological resources, at the invitation of Mr. Poum Sotha, Director of the Department of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, and entrusted by the Yangtze River Fisheries Administration, MARA, the Innovative Team on the Assessment and Conservation of Important Yangtze River Germplasm Resources of FFRC went to Cambodia to implement a cooperative mission on aquatic life conservation in the Lancang Basin.

This task is one of the important contents of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Aquatic Organisms Conservation and Fishery Cooperation Project undertaken by FFRC, which focuses on the survey of aquatic resources in the Cambodian section of the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap Lake, the investigation of the Ichthyophthalmus dolphin hotspot distribution area, and the collection and collation of important fish germplasm resources, etc., and the simultaneous research on the impacts of capture fishery and other human activities on aquatic organisms. This task is expected to promote fishery resources conservation and aquatic organisms protection in the Lancang-Mekong Basin and the sustainable development of fisheries in the Lancang-Mekong Basin.

During the visit, the team and the Department of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia carried out in-depth exchanges on the achievements of this work, and had an in-depth discussion on the survival challenges faced by the Ichthyophthalmus dolphin and other rare and endangered fish species in the Mekong River Basin in Cambodia. The two sides also exchanged views on the further cooperation on the protection of Ichthyophthalmus dolphin in Cambodia and the conservation of fish and other aquatic resources.

The successful implementation of this conservation action is an important initiative of FFRC to implement the Central Government’s peripheral foreign policy guidelines, and is of great significance for consolidating the achievements of the Five-Year Action Plan for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (2018-2022), enhancing the well-being of the people of all countries, building a peaceful and prosperous community of destiny for the Lancang-Mekong countries, and demonstrating China’s image as a responsible country.