The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Royal Turtle and Siamese Crocodile Management and Conservation Project team met on July 22 with the technical working group from the Koh Kong Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to finalize the draft agreement on a joint project.
WCS said on July 22 that the agreement's focus is on restoration of fishery resources, particularly on endangered royal turtles and Siamese crocodiles in the fisheries management area along the Sre Ambel River system.
It also focuses on prevention of poaching and trafficking of royal turtles and Siamese crocodiles by supporting law enforcement to reduce illegal fishing activities and habitat destruction such as cutting down flooded forests and mangrove forests.
The agreement also aims to build the capacity of relevant officials and local community members to support the restoration of fishery resources and contribute to improving the community’s livelihoods and food security.
The agreement is effective from July 2022 through August 2023 and can be renewed once per year thereafter. It is funded by the European Union Partners Against Wildlife Crime project, Mandai Nature, US Forest Service, Rainforest Trust, Turtle Survival Alliance, USFW and USAID-Feed the Future.
