‘The Living Mekong’ book released

Written by Sturle hauge Simonsen

Monday, 03 August 2009 07:06

The Mekong River produces more than two per cent of the world’s entire fish catch – around 2.5 million tons. In numbers of fish species, it is second only to the Amazon. New book co-written by SEI's Delia Paul shows the Mekong fishery beyond the usual postcard view.

This new release from Silkworm Books takes the reader to rarely-seen sites – from secluded natural pools known only to local fishers, to factory floors that package the fillets appearing on restaurant platters all over the world. Aerial images from helicopters capture habitats crucial to the survival of many species.

River seasons under threat
The Lower Mekong Basin covers Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam and is home to 60 million people. The fishery is under threat as never before due to plans for hydropower, salinity in the delta, and increased fishing pressure.

Dams and water diversion projects have been extremely controversial in the Mekong region. The book, supported by WWF and the Mekong River Commission, an intergovernmental body for joint management of water resources, highlights the importance of the fishery within this discussion, since projects changing the hydrological regime of the Mekong would profoundly affect the fishery.

The Living Mekong tells, in words and pictures, how the river’s seasonal rise and fall supports fishing activities in the region, by providing the hydrological triggers for spawning and migration. In the wet season, rice fields and flooded forests become fish nurseries where juveniles feed and grow. In the dry season, the receding floods bring vast migrations downstream - peak fishing time for many rural people in the river basin.

Fish and food security
People in the Mekong region consume little milk. Small fish, eaten complete with bones, provide the main source of calcium in diets. While the yield from aquaculture varieties is increasing, this cannot replace the wild fishery. Aquaculture varieties of fish are mostly carnivores, feeding on smaller fish, so increased aquaculture may even degrade rural diets.

There are no ready alternatives to the wild fishery as a source of food security.

Living heritage of the global community
Mr Jeremy Bird, Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong River Commission, said, “The Mekong is a living heritage not only for the people of the basin but also, in view of the region’s increasing integration with international markets, for the global community…This book presents some wonderful images of the Mekong and the life along it, touching on issues central to the debate surrounding its future, and capturing some of the river’s great beauty and the fragility of the ecosystems it nourishes.” The Nation newspaper in Thailand called the book, “… a true visual feast.”

The Living Mekong contains images of giant species of the Mekong, including the near-extinct giant Mekong catfish, which can grow up to three metres, as well as of giant carp and stingray spanning more than four metres in length. The decline of these species is an early warning of changes already taking place in the ecosystem.

Where to find The Living Mekong book
The Living Mekong is available through Asia Books and Kinokuniya in Thailand, and at Monument Books in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It will be released in the US and worldwide later this year. The book can also be ordered through Amazon, priced at USD 23, and from the publisher’s own website, www.silkwormbooks.com.

Text of The Living Mekong was written by Delia Paul, SEI’s communications coordinator in Asia, for a collection of photographs by American photographer Joe Garrison, supplemented by images from others including leading Thai photographers Suthep Kritsanavarin and Roengchai Kongmuang.