FISHBIO supports global conservation of aquatic biodiversity with our actions, our time, and our profits. Since 2009 we have conducted research in the Mekong River Basin of Southeast Asia because it has high species diversity, is undergoing rapid change, and the need for technical support is high. The work is either funded directly by FISHBIO, completed with donated time, or supported by external funds through collaborations with NGOs or government agencies.
Currently, FISHBIO is working to evaluate aquatic biodiversity and the importance of these resources for rural livelihoods in a major tributary of the Mekong, the Nam Kading River of central Lao PDR. Because fisheries are so essential for human communities in the Mekong Basin, we are working with villagers to gather quantitative data on this resource and to develop plans to improve sustainable management and conservation. We have trained local field teams to collect data in their own villages. We monitor the fishing catch, household food consumption, and market sales in the villages. Data collection covers details like the species and length/weight of fish caught, the gear type used, the income from selling fish, the weight of different food items in a family’s dinner, the source of foods in households, and the total sales of different fish species in the markets
Project Objectives include:
Establish baseline biological and ecological data for wild fisheries (including all aquatic organisms) in the Nam Kading River
- Quantify contribution of wild fisheries to the diet and sustainable livelihoods of households in villages
- Measure the market value of the aquatic resources that are sold by villagers
- Develop strategies for more sustainable management together with government agencies, fishing committees, fishers, and villagers
- Evaluate the ecological, economic, nutritional, and social values of aquatic resources
More Information:
Contact FISHBIO Conservation Director Harmony Patricio
