STUNG TRANG PROVINCE NEWS: A newborn dolphin calf was spotted by a research team of the Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and WWF on the morning of January 23 at Tiger Canyon, Tiger Village, Kum O Reap, Siem Bok District, Stung Treng Province.
The Ministry of Agriculture and WWF said on January 24 that the calf is in a group of six other adult dolphins and this is the first calf to be born and spotted in early 2025.
"As of early 2025, the number of dolphins present in Cambodia has increased to 105," the ministry stated.
The Ministry of Agriculture and WWF expressed their gratitude to the river guards, local authorities, and citizens for their participation in preserving and protecting this valuable fishery resource.
The two organizations also appealed to the public or fishermen to provide information to the fisheries authorities if they spot dolphins, especially baby dolphins, through telephone numbers 012897943, 011355883, 099791919, 09291814,4 and 017818382.
Minister of Agriculture Dr. Tina stated at the Closing Ceremony of the Ministry's General Assembly on January 22 that the ministry has maintained excellent results in conserving fishery resources, especially the Mekong River dolphin, which gave birth to 9 calves and died only 4 in 2024.
He continued that in addition to that, there have also been frequent sightings of sea dolphins, consisting of Iravadi dolphins, baleen dolphins, and porpoises or pink dolphins.
Apart from that, there have also been sightings of waterfowl and other rare fishery resources in marine areas, especially in Kep and Kampot, while the ministry has expanded cooperation with many conservation organizations in reintroducing some endangered species into natural habitats for reproduction, such as rhinos.
He said: "The ministry has been conserving fishery resources, especially Mekong river dolphins, marine dolphins, and other natural species, to increase year by year as the ministry has collaborated with various wildlife conservation organizations in releasing endangered species back into natural lakes."
He mentioned that even more especially, in 2024, fisheries experts of the Ministry of Agriculture have successfully achieved the first successful breeding of carp, a fish that represents national identity.
For the fisheries sub-sector, the ministry has also achieved better results due to efforts to curb fishing offenses nationwide through cooperation with relevant institutions, sub-national administrations, and the armed forces.
As a result, total fishery products of nearly 1 million tonnes in 2024, an increase of 60 thousand tonnes, equivalent to 7 percent compared to 2023, and supplying 95 percent of domestic demand.
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