Setting up Kep’s first Marine Fisheries Managment Area (MFMA)in April 2018 is one of MCC’s biggest milestones. We can now use it as a springboard for furthering current projects and creating new ones.
You may also find our past publications in the MCC Research Archive.
Marine Life Monitoring Projects
The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project (CMMCP)
The project aims at collecting data on the abundance, distribution and residency of marine mammals… (read more)
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)
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:
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 Resources Management
Shellfish Reef Restoration
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). While we carry on with many of the scientific monitoring and research, we also try to educate the public and raise awareness. We pretty much do it all!
Education And Outreach
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)
Outreach Project
Our outreach project works with all stages and levels of schools from Kep to Phnom Penh and other countries… (read more)