Tonle Sap trash

Our friends at the 'Wonders of the Mekong' project reported this week from Cambodia's Tonle Sap:

There is a popular Khmer slogan that has been passed down through the generations: “Where there is water, there is fish”. Unfortunately, for over five years now, many fishermen have complained that they are catching more trash than fish.

As the population increases, the amount of trash also increases, especially plastic waste. Some households that reside along the river have decided to use the river to dispose of their trash. It is possible that people may not be aware that their daily houses’ trash can become a death trap for fish at the bottom of the river.

These photos, taken from the Tonle Sap River, located in Sangkat Prek Tasek, Khan Chhouy Changva, Phnom Penh municipality, show the amount of trash that can be found in the river and the fish that are killed by this waste.

You can read more about the pressures on the Tonle Sap in our news report here.

Photos: Wonders of the Mekong / Chea Seila