Strengthening MPA management in Cambodia through Area-Based Management Tools
On 21-24 January 2025, IUCN and Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment organised a workshop on MPAs in Kampot. This is a part of the IUCN-led Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Conservation and Management’ Project funded by ROK’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Korea in 2021-2025. The project aims to address the urgent threats facing Asia’s marine ecosystems by increasing MPA coverage and management effectiveness in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Photo: Group discussion at the workshop © IUCN Cambodia
Photo: Group photo at the workshop © IUCN Cambodia
The workshop gathered 42 participants from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Fisheries Administration, local authorities from Kep, Kampot, Koh Kong, and Preah Sihanouk Provinces, and NGOs such as WWF Malaysia, Fauna & Flora, Wild Earth Allies, and Marine Conservation Cambodia.
The event focused on reviewing the status of MPAs and Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs) in Cambodia, sharing best practices, discussing potential sites and project activities. It highlighted the importance of collaboration between government agencies, local authorities, and CSOs to achieve marine conservation goals, and the need for collective efforts to mitigate marine ecosystems threats and alignment with global conservation targets.
Participants discussed a workplan to improving ABMTs in Cambodia and initiatives to strengthen MPA management. After the workshop, a field visit to the Dong Peng Multiple Use Area was organised where participants met rangers and local communities to discuss on-the-ground conservation efforts and challenges.
