Anecdotal evidence has for some time indicated a decline in fish stocks and a decline in household fish catches in southern Lao PDR. Sampling based studies carried out by fish biologists have only recently started to acquire detailed data that will give a natural science based understanding of stock trends and of migration, spawning and feeding patterns. Natural variability from year to year and season to season makes it difficult to form firm conclusions on stock trends over a short time frame. Between random anecdotal evidence and long-term, expensive and for the time being inconclusive biological sampling studies, IFDMP has attempted to develop a structured means of investigating fisheries trends in the Mekong and its associated fisheries systems.

At left is an alphabetical list of 45 fish species recorded in Sanasomboun District during the study. Click on the names at left to display an image of the species, a map of its distribution, and information on migration, spawning and feeding patterns.

One of the more notable findings is the striking difference in the nature of the fishery above and below the Selabam Dam. Solo Noi and other downstream villages have a richer riverine fishery than Khamyaad and other upstream villages. While it is very difficult to establish firm conclusions on the effect of the dam, due to its age (it was built in the 1960s) and due to the existence of a natural cataract that might always have served as a partial obstacle to fish movement, there are firm local perceptions among older fishers that this relatively small dam had a significant impact. Certain species show a marked difference in abundance below and above the dam. These species are:

• Pa phawn [Cirrhinus microlepis]
• Pa waa naa noo [Bangana behri]
• Pa tong kai [Chitala blanci]
• Pa tong khwaai [Chitala ornata]
• Pa khob [Belodontichthys dinema]
• Pa khaew kai [Botia modesta]
• Pa peung huu dam [Pangasius larnaudiei]
• Pa nuu [Helicophagus waandersi]
• Pa koh [Gyrinocheilus pennocki]

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Australian Mekong Resource Centre
Division of Geography, University of Sydney
Email: mekong@mail.usyd.edu.au

Last updated 22 July, 2000
© AMRC 2000