MFMA Official Demarcation Launch

The 17^th of March was a huge day in MCC history. We had the honour to receive His Excellency Eng Cheasan, National Director of the Fisheries administration, to drop the first symbolic concrete block of the 11 354 ha MFMA of Kep Archipelago, allowing to us start the deployment.

We had the honour to receive His Excellency Eng Cheasan, and Vibol Ouk, National director of the FIA Conservation Department, joint by a delegation from the Fisheries administration.

The Delegation arrived on Koh She early in the morning. Everybody was ready for the visit, from the volunteers to the kids. We offered them a breakfast, and Paul did a small tour of the Island to the delegation, with a particular focus on the blocks, the process to make them, to deploy them. We also show them the demarcation clusters. Everybody was particularly interested in their interlocking design and functioning.

After this introduction to our island and our work, it was the time to go on the boat and drop the first blocks with their demarcation devices.

Our crew went first to load the big boat with the clusters and make everything ready for the launch. They were joined by the delegation a few moments later, to travel to the established GPS point of the launch, 300m from Koh Seh shore.

His Excellency Eng Cheasan personally dropped the very first block of Kep MFMA, followed by the other members of the delegation, who dropped their own. Of course, Paul & Sao dropped their own block, at the very end, as an accomplishment of 4 years and a half of hard work.

     

This day was more than an achievement for MCC  and every volunteers or staff member who participate in the MFMA project.

This is the outcome of 4 years and a half trying to raise awareness about Kep Arcipelago illegal fishing problems, about the vital necessity of restoring and protecting the ecosystems,  as well as the fisherman livelihoods and ability to fish responsibly. This is 4 years and a half pushing every day for this protected area, which will give a chance to the Archipelago to recover.

But this is not the end, it’s just the beginning.

Now, our team need to deploy over 1000 150kg concrete blocks, and assemble them as 47 underwater structures. But, we are ready for it. We were waiting this moment for a long time, and the job will be done, you can count on us!