Over in Siem Reap province this week, a joint task force has been making the rounds through Sot Nikum and Chi Kraeng districts. Their mission is pretty straightforward: keep a close eye on the waterways and crack down on illegal fishing by people willing to risk getting caught.
Led by Siem Reap Deputy Governor Ngoun Kimly, local media report that the crackdown is all about protecting aquatic resources and giving fish stocks a chance to spawn during the closed season, ensuring there are still fish left in the rivers down the track.
Listening to folks chat over iced coffee at a local tea stall, it seems every year at this time people try their luck sneaking out nets for a quick catch. Meanwhile, water police and inter-agency teams have no choice but to patrol everywhere, confiscating every illegal fishing gear they can find.
