Marine Conservation Cambodia (MCC) is an independent community based NGO with a respected national environmental policy and advocacy role. MCC is committed to:
protecting and restoring healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems, strengthening their resilience
supporting and empowering small-scale fishing communities whos people, for generations, have primarily relied upon local marine resources for their food and livelihoods;
engaging with and assisting to inform local, regional and national levels of the Cambodian government and their associated agencies in the development of sustainable fisheries and the implementation of science-based best practice regulations and management.
MCC's methodology for the respect of this commitment consists on :
- Deploying of Conservation and Anti-Trawling Structures (CANTS), acting as marine life aggregation devices (an artificial reef). They will : (i) enhance the ability of law enforcement authorities to prevent illegal and destructive trawling; (ii) improve water quality in the entire Kep Archipelago; and (iii) provide alternative economic activities for local communities.
- Enforcing national Fisheries Laws by monitoring, reporting and detering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.
- Conducting research on Marine Mammals, Seahorses and Seagrass in order to advocate for the implementation of science-based conservation strategies for these endangered species and vital habitat.
- Conducting coral reef surveys, invertebrate and fish population surveys in key locations of the archipelago to monitor its evolution.
- Use collected data to raise awareness among stakeholders, build capacity of Fisheries managers and local decision makers, create science-based management plans for local protected area.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
PLASTICS
- Coastal clean-ups
- Plastics recovery/recycling/reuse
Quantification
- MCC was the first organisation to partner with Ocean Conservancy to organise coastal cleanup in Cambodia. Every year we are collecting/removing from the ocean tons of marine trash from our island beaches. We are working with coastal communities to try to find sustainable solutions to their rubish problem
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Community or Locally Managed Marine Areas
- Integrated Coastal Management
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Large Marine Ecosystem approach
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation
Quantification
- After 4 years of surveys, consultations and mapping we created in collaboration with the Cambodian authorities and local communities a Marine Fisheries Management Area (the equivalent of an MPA) to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans. The seagrass meadows, sponges, coral reefs and bivalves beds are coming back in the Archipelago. Also we deployed artificial reefs, patrol against destructive, IUU fishing techniques, placed anti-trawling blocks and collaborate with the traditional sustainable fishermen and authorities (fisheries and Marine police).
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Type of commitment
- Coastal carbon sinks/blue carbon
- Carbon capture and sequestration
Quantification
- MCC has been monitoring seagrass meadows and bivalve beds of Kep archipelago for the past 4 years. We aim to launch a 1 to 2 years mapping project for the seagrass meadows in early 2019 in order to identify, assess and ultimately protect the seagrass meadows.
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
Type of commitment
- Compliance, monitoring and enforcement
- Reduction and elimination fishing practices and gear that destroy/degrade marine habitat
- Science-based fisheries management plans
- Ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)
- Reduction of fisheries by-catch and product waste/losses
Quantification
- MCC is collaborating with the coastal authorities for more than 9 years to stop and dether IUU and destructive fishing while empowering local sustainable coastal communities. MCC is working closely with those communities to promote sustainable fishing, enlightened management and active ecosystem restorations. Paul Ferber is on the National subcommittee on IUU fishing (he was previously co-chairman)
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
Type of commitment
- No take marine protected area
- Marine protected area with partial protection
- Multiple use marine protected area
- Locally or community managed marine areas
- MPA management and/or enforcement
Quantification
- After 3 years on research in the Archipelago, MCC proposed the establishment of a Marine Fisheries Management Area (equivalent of an MPA). The Ministry of Agriculture, forestry and fishery, the communities and the provincial government supported by MCC have created last year a 11 000ha marine managed area.
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Economic benefits from sustainable fisheries
- Economic benefits from sustainable tourism
- Economic benefits from sustainable aquaculture/mariculture
Quantification
- For the past 9 years MCC dedicated itself to the protection and restoration of the marine coastal ecosystems and resources of Cambodia. Since its inception it has worked hand in hand with the local communities the first affected by IUU & destructive fishing. Ensuring a knowledge and capabilities transfer is essential to increase the economic benefits from the sustainable use of marine resources,
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Scientific, socioeconomic and interdisciplinary research
- Research capacity development
- Data access and sharing
- Training and professional development
- Scientific cooperation
Quantification
- Most of the marine species in Cambodia are classified as Data Deficient. Since its inception MCC as added over 100 species of fish to the Cambodian catalog as well as successfully researching and lobbying to upgrade the seahorse from vulnerable to endangered on the IUCN list for Cambodia. As well as charting and putting the baseline data for marine research in two of the 4 coastal provinces. MCC has also developped several scientific research project on marine species and habitats and has been cooperating with neighbouring scientists (in Vietnam and Thailand). In addition MCC has been working with several local schools and universities (local Kep primary schools, Liger Academy and Pannasatra University) in order to raise awareness on the importance of marine biology, ecology and conservation. We aim to cooperate with the Royal University of Agriculture for the developement of the first marine biology curriculum in the country, to train young Cambodians in the conservation of their ecosystems and the management of their own natural resources.
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
Type of commitment
- Legal/policy/institutional measures
- Access to coastal fishing grounds
Quantification
- MCC has been working with the local and national governement to implement local protected areas in order to facilitate access for small scale fishers to marine resources.
December 2020
Increase of the production of commercial and non-commercial marine species in Kep Archipelago
December 2022
Stop of all IUU fishing in Kep archipelago, focusing on destructive bottom trawl fishery
December 2025
Creation of a science-based body of research for effective, long-term marine management
December 2025
Creation of an extensive network of Marine Fisheries Management Areas, or MFMAs (Cambodias equivalent of Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs).
Cambodia
