Latest Mekong River News

Huge and rare Mekong catfish spotted in Cambodia, raising conservation hopes

Dec. 13, 2024 04:45 AM EST

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish — one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world — were caught and released recently in Cambodia, reviving hopes for the survival of the species. The underwater giants can grow up to 10 feet (3...

Giant fish thought to be extinct is spotted in the Mekong River

Oct. 22, 2024 12:07 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A huge fish in the Mekong River thought to be extinct has been spotted three times in recent years. “The giant salmon carp is like a symbol of the Mekong region,” said Chheana Chhut, a researcher at the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute in...

Cambodian fishermen turn to raising eels as Tonle Sap lake runs out of fish

Oct. 10, 2024 09:18 AM EDT

KAMPONG PHLUK, Cambodia (AP) — Em Phat, 53, studies his eel tanks with the intensity of a man gambling with his livelihood. For millennia, fishermen like him have relied on the bounty of the Tonle Sap in Cambodia, Southeast Asia’s largest lake and the epicenter of the world’s...