Overview
This project aimed to increase the value of the largest freshwater fishery in the world, in Laos, through improved irrigation design.
In the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), more than 80% of rural households are involved in capture fisheries. Fish is an important source of animal protein for the people of the Laos, and fish capture is integral to their traditional way of life.
Developments in infrastructure design will improve fish survival, support fisheries production, and increase incomes of farmers and fishers. By adapting irrigation structures, fish mortality—currently up to 90% through the expansion of wetland regulators—can be decreased.
Recent research suggests up to 70% of fishery species are at threat from the expansion of dams, weirs, regulators and hydropower facilities. This is because their survival depends on migration within rivers, and between rivers and floodplain wetlands. While significant progress has been made in restoring the safety of upstream fish movements, there has been little to no focus on critical downstream migrations, a key outcome expected during this research project.
