[Demographic Vietnamization: Fishing, Kampot, Navy] Fishermen protest Vietnamese in Kampot

Illegal fishing angers legitimate Kampot fishermen. Supplied

Fishermen protest Vietnamese in Kampot

Khmer Times | 13 February 2017

Hundreds of fishermen gathered in front of the Kampot provincial hall on Friday to demand that authorities stop Vietnamese fishing boats from entering Cambodian waters and crack down on a commonly used method of illegal fishing.
 

Neak Sen, a representative of the fishermen, told Khmer Times yesterday that about 400 fishermen gathered in front of the provincial hall to demand that authorities solve issues they have been facing for years.
 

“We have requested that all levels of provincial authorities intervene for us on two matters,” he said.

 

“First, they have to stop Vietnamese fishing boats from illegally fishing in our sea. Second, do not allow Cambodian fishermen to use electric shock devices to shock shrimp anymore because it is illegal.”
 

Mr. Sen said the use of illegal fishing equipment negatively impacted natural resources because all kinds of sea life was caught or destroyed.
 

“We as fishermen depend only on fishing to make a living. We do not have land for farming like others, so we can only earn a living from fishing to support our family,” he said, adding that sometimes the fishermen themselves send away Vietnamese boats that attempt to fish in Cambodian waters.
 

Mr. Sen said the protesters gathered peacefully and returned home after provincial officials promised to take action on their behalf.
 

“We are not opposed to legal fishing, but we are completely against those who use illegal fishing tools or equipment that the government has banned,” he said, adding that he expected provincial authorities to meet the fishermen’s demands.
 

Touch Poleak, the deputy director of the Interior Ministry’s water border protection department, told the fishermen that the leaders of Kampot province and Vietnam’s Kien Giang province were working to find a solution since the maritime border between the two countries has not been clearly defined.
 

He said that fishermen must immediately report to provincial police or maritime police when they encounter instances of illegal fishing.