Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are receiving increasing attention in Cambodia to safeguard marine biodiversity, according to a new World Bank report, however wider governance, corruption, and capacity building issues must be addressed to begin adequately protecting the country’s blue economy.

The report, ‘Building a Blue Economy Roadmap for Cambodia’, noted the Southeast Asian nation’s government was starting to recognise the importance of its 440 km coastline.

Tourism, fisheries, and shipping on the coast contribute some 16% of the country’s GDP, however this has led to declining marine biodiversity, habitat loss, and depletion of natural capital due to lack of integrated planning and management, according to the report.

Threats to fisheries come from conflict between small-scale and commercial fishing, overfishing, unreported and unregulated fishing, habitat conversion, and pollution.

The report noted the EU has given Cambodia Red Card status, meaning it is barred from exporting fish to the bloc.

Underpinning these threats are the historically weak and uncoordinated coastal planning and development, with integrated planning and management of the country’s coastline receiving little attention in the government’s political or economic agenda.

Exemplifying these issues are the large-scale casinos that now dominate the coastal city of Sihanoukville.

The report said these developments had been built without adequate planning, stakeholder consultation, or due consideration of the long-term environmental and socio-economic consequences.

“To halt such major recent coastal developments and shift gears toward a more sustainable development path, Cambodia critically needs stronger institutions guiding integrated Blue Economy development and ensuring the rule of law,” the report said.

However, the World Bank said MPAs are starting to receive greater attention in Cambodia as a means to complement the existing protected area network, safeguard marine biodiversity, and promote sustainable resource use.

It said community-based management approaches have played a central role in Cambodia’s coastal management, underpinned by a robust legal framework.

Around 3.5% of Cambodia’s exclusive economic zone is currently designated or proposed as a form of MPA, including wildlife sanctuaries, marine national parks (MNPs), Ramsar sites, or marine fisheries management areas (MFMAs).

Cambodia currently has two existing MPAs, the Koh Rong MNP and the Kep MFMA, which cover nearly 60,000 hectares across three provinces.

The report said that additional MPAs are at various stages of planning, including Kampot MFMA, the Koh Kong MNP, and the Koh Kapik Ramsar site.

It highlighted the importance of sustainably managing Cambodia’s fisheries sector, given that it acts as a significant source of direct livelihoods to communities living in the country’s coastal provinces.

The actual marine fisheries production is also likely underestimated due to the large volume of family-scale fisheries and illegal fishing activities, both of which are mostly under recorded.

“Cambodia requires an improved legal framework for the fisheries sector, and an institutional mechanism for overseeing sanitary control at all stages of production, including capture, handling, processing, and marketing,” the report said.

It also added eco-tourism approaches to coastal communities could  provide valuable socioeconomic benefits and help ensure the sustainable management of Cambodia’s natural coastal assets.

The report noted that Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism was focussing on promoting ecotourism sites within protected areas, but said these efforts needed to be scaled-up in coastal provinces.

It said the overall institutional legal and policy framework needed to be strengthened, and that planning and zoning of development must be integrated together to support sustainability.

Increasing the coverage and enforcement of MPAs could also create ecosystem service opportunities, including blue carbon, it said, as well as protect high value marine and coastal assets.

Investing in research and technology and establishing partnerships between government, the private sector, and international civil society to build capacity would also be needed to progress a sustainable blue economy in the country, according to the report.

By Mark Tilly – mark@carbon-pulse.com

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