Projects

Encountering a dense patch of seagrass during an underwater survey
MCC is the organization that invented these anti-trawling structures
Our team doing a dolphin survey at the treehouse with binoculars
Cambodian young girls showing their octopus drawings at the end of our outreach session
Cambodian young girls showing their octopus drawings at the end of our outreach session
Seagrass Project
Seagrass Research and
Restoration

Our ongoing marine biodiversity surveys in Kep and Kampot have shown seagrass regrowth in previously destroyed areas. The Habitat Restoration Structures are working with an estimated Recovery of over 2500 hectares of Seagrass regrowth!!! over the past 4 years.

MCC-invented-anti-trawling-structure
Marine Restoration Structures
Latest News

After deploying 350+ Habitat Restoration Structures in the last 5 years, protecting Kep's MFMA and the Kampot fisheries Community's areas from destructive fishing activities. The results speak for themselves, more than 2000 hectares of Seagrass regrowth, and the return of Large Mega Fauna such as Dugongs and Dolphins. We have been contracted By the Ministry Of Forestry, Fisheries and Agriculture, Funded by ADB to upscale the program to deploy 5000 structures along the Cambodia inshore area covering Kep, Kampot, Kampong Som and Koh Kong.

MCC-Cambodia Marine Mammal Project
Cambodian Marine Mammal Project

Our Cambodian Marine Mammal Team has been continuously on the water over the past few years and they are witnessing an increase in the number of sightings of Irrawaddy dolphins in Kep, Indopacific Humpack Dolphins in Kampot and now with many recent sightings of the elusive dugong,, we know the Block Structures are clearly working within the MFMA providing a haven for Endangered Marine Mammals.

Oyster Project and Alterntive Livelihoods
Mari-culture and Alternative Livelihoods

Marine Conservation Cambodia, Focuses on Alternative Livelihoods, with our Kampot Oyster project and upcoming Sea-grape projects, we are looking at ways for local communities to benefit from the Sea whilst removing the fishing pressure that is negatively effecting it.

Outreach and education
Outreach, Advocacy and Education

Marine Conservation Cambodia, Focuses on Education, Advocacy and Outreach.
With focuses on Cambodian University students entering the fields of Marine Conservation, Local Schools learning about the Marine Environment and Local Fishers learning more about their Impacts .

previous arrow
next arrow

Marine Conservation Cambodia

Research Projects

Marine Conservation Cambodia projects, Marine Mammal Project
The Cambodian Marine Mammal Project

The project aims at collecting data on behaviour abundance, distribution and residency of marine mammals in Cambodia… (read more)

Marine Conservation Cambodia's projects Seahorse
The Seahorse Project

The love for seahorses is a big reason we are here today. Currently, we have identified 6 species in our study areas… (read more)

Marine Conservation Cambodia's projects Seagrass
The Seagrass Conservation Project

The project aims at conserving and expanding Cambodia’s seagrass meadows, as they are one of the most productive ecosystems… (read more)

The MFMA needs to preserve the livelihoods of the local fishing communities, while protecting the highly sensitive ecosystems at the same time. To achieve this, the MFMA comprises of four different zones: Marine Conservation Cambodia’s marine research projects have been monitoring the MFMA area since 2014, 4 years before its creation in 2018.

Conservation Area
  • 112 hectares
  • Shelter for animals and plants
  • Pre-approved scientific research only
Fisheries Refugia
  • 420 hectares
  • Nursery and foraging grounds for specific species
  • Sustainable fishing is allowed outside of spawning and mating seasons
Fisheries Protected Area
  • 10040 hectares
  • Ecotourism, family-scale and sustainable recreational fishing are allowed
Recreational and Research Area
  • 405 hectares
  • Recreational and research activities only
  • No fishing activities

Marine Restoration and

Marine Resource Management

MCC is the organization that invented these anti-trawling structures
Habitat Restoration Structures

We are not just restoring biodiversity by creating artificial reefs, but we are also helping the small-scale fishing communities who fish in a sustainable way… (read more)

Setting up the MFMA required a lot of initial research such as island environmental assessments and zoning plans (see our research archive here). To support our scientific monitoring and research projects, we also try to educate the public and raise awareness. Marine Conservation Cambodia’s marine monitoring projects have allowed us not only to give the initial recommendations for the creation of the MFMA, but also allowed us to monitor it in real time to offer adaptive management solutions and provide informative outreach and education programs.

Marine Conservation Cambodia

Education And Outreach Projects

Marine Conservation Cambodia's projects, Ocean Plastics
Ocean Plastics

Regular beach cleanups are only one part of it. We also try to change the way people treat plastics and waste… (read more)

Marine Conservation Cambodia's projects Outreach
Outreach Project

Our outreach project works with all stages and levels of schools from Kep to Phnom Penh and other countries… (read more)