Minutes of Cambodia MWD/First National Working Group (NWG), Meeting, Somadevi Angkor Hotel & Spa, Siem Reap, Cambodia, 09 April 2012 Prepared by: Sorn Pheakdey, MWD Field Coordinator, IUCN Cambodia I- Background: The MWD National Working Groups (NWGs) in each of the Mekong countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam serve as to coordinate and steer the project at the national level, as well as to provide a multi-stakeholder forum which will foster improved dialogue, planning and decision-making between the different agencies, sectors and levels of scale involved in water and wetlands management within the context of MWD and in relation to broader issues and concerns in water and wetlands. Within each country, NWG members will help to ensure that MWD activities are coordinated and steered through (and contribute to actively strengthening) existing mechanisms for water and wetlands management which bring together different agencies, sectors and civil society groups at relevant scales, including River Basin Organizations/Committees, and Wetlands Committees. They will also ensure that activities on the ground are linked to policy discussions at the national level, and viceversa. II- Objective and agenda of the meeting: The 1 st Cambodia MWD s NWG half-day meeting at the afternoon was launched on the 09 th April 2011from 02:00 05:15pm at Somadevi Angkor Hotel & Spa, Siem Reap province (See attached annex 1: agenda of 1 st NWG meeting) The NWG meeting was covered the objectives as bellow: 1. To update of MWD progress activities 2011 2. To inform and discuss with NWG members on MWD 2012 implementation 3. To discuss and share result of Boeung Chhmar Ramsar Site boundary demarcation included propose idea for its cooperation management III- Proceeding of the Cambodia MWD/NWG meeting: Key activities: 1. welcome, self introduction & introduction objectives, 2. two presentations by Mr. Kong Kimsreng, following by Q&A, 3. discussion, and 4. wrap up and close meeting. 1. Welcome and instruction of the objectives and the agenda of the meeting by Mr. Say Tom, Office Chief of Human Resource Development of MAFF and following by self introduction of the participants. 2. Presentation: 2.1. First presentation: The first presentation on key achievement and progress of MWG implementation covered the period of January to December 2011 was provide by Mr. Kong Kimsreng to NWG members (See annex 2: Power Point Presentation for 1 st NWG meeting on 09 April 2012). Presentation content: progress of 2011 implementation, MWD Work Plan for 2012 with step forward of implementation, and MWD communication strategy. Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 1
Activities have been done in 2011 - Three NWG meeting have done at Cambodiana Hotel. - Regional MWD Meeting in Phuket, Thailand and joined training course on Environment Flow. - Discuss to prepare National Wetland Strategic Plan (too big then change to Sectoral Wetland Management) and Cooperation Management between MoE and FiA/MAFF - Plan to organize a workshop on Tonle Sap Conservation by MoWRAM (but it was not cancelled). - Recruited new Field Coordinator for MWD project, delayed in 2011 and recently on March 06 2012, Mr. Sorn Pheakdey, the new coordinator will work closely with NWG and share information of MWD field works. - Field Trip to Stung Treng Ramsar site with donor Foundation Ensemble to raise more fund for MWD project, and during that time IUCN busy to prepare other proposal submit to USAID and missed to apply fund from the Foundation Ensemble. - WWF has been handed over by IUCN for implementing conservation activities in Stung Treng Ramsar. Today WWF also organizing an inception workshop on Management Plan for Stung Treng Ramsar site. This does not mean IUCN give up its activities in Stung Treng, when we get more fund then we will continue our activities there. - World Wetland Day 2011 at Kampong Laoung, Pursat, participated over 500 participants from national and sub-national level from MoE, PDoE, local authorities, university students from Panhasatra University of Cambodia, WWF, CI, FFI, Birdlife International, CEPA, Mlup Baitong etc. - Our NWG members have joined several meeting both national and regional (Chiang Mai and Phuket, Thailand). - National Wetland Strategic Plan discussion with all stakeholders. - E-Flow document have published both Khmer and English version. - Support Boeung Chhmar Ramsar site demarcation (participated by 8 people from KPT and 9 people from SR, leading by deputy governor of Siem Reap province). Actually BC Ramsar site has been recognized by UNESCO and registered in Ramsar Convention. Works Plan for 2012 - World Wetland Day 2012 has celebrated on 10 March 2012 - Will reorganize Tonle Sap Conservation (TBD and discuss with MoWRAM) - Will organize Consulation Meeting on the Review and Endorsement of the Boeung Chhmar Ramsar Site Boundary and the Proposed Stung Sen Ramsar Site - Stung Treng activities (has cancelled due to the failure of fund raising proposal from French - Conducting Tole Sap Conservation International Forum (proposed by MoWRAM in February 2012) - Develop boundary sub-decree for Boeung Chhmar Ramsar Site - Develop boundary sub-decree for Prek Toal and promote Prek Taol as a Ramsar Site - Conduct World Wetland Day event - Ground boundary demarcation for Beong Chhma Ramsar Site - Biodiversity monitoring with birds nest protection in Stung Treng Ramsar Site (Included update of both ST and Boeung Chhmar management plan) - BTC Biodiversity Monitoring, collecting key information on fisheries, endanger species and other human activities within and around the areas MWD communication progress - Last 3 rd meeting in 2011 at Cambodiana Hotel, all NWG members have agreed to contribute some key reports from MWD members - Have already gotten reports from Mr. Tek Vannara (Wetland and Aquatic resources) and Mr. Say Tom (Agro-Ecosystem Analysis related to Climate Change) - Mr. Say Tom will submit another report on Wetland Wild Aquatic Resources (how contributed to local livelihood) Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 2
Interesting story, article, policy brief, report and related events No Title Who Time frame 1 Wetland Wild Aquatic Resources (How contributed to local livelihood) Say Tom May 2 Wetland and aquatic resources Tek Vannara January 2012 3 Climate Change and Water Va Moeurn??? 4 Agro-Ecosystem Analysis (Related to Agriculture Say Tom (DAE, MAFF, IWMI) December 2011 5??? Ms. Chao Chantha Contact Vannara 6 Agro-Ecosystem Analysis related to Climate Change Say Tom (DAE, MAFF, ACIAR) December 2011 7 Community Fish refuge pond Pich Sereywath??? Coffee Break at 3:45pm 4:00pm 2.2. Second Presentation: Boeung Chhmar Ramsar Site boundary demarcation The second presentation was made by Mr. Kong Kimsreng on Boeung Chhmar Ramsar site boundary demarcation. He presented the general aspect of BC Ramsar site and daily activities in BC. Showed BC Ramsar boundary draft map which have done by provincial working group from provincial authorities concerned, MoE and IUCN (8 from Siem Reap, 7 from Kampong Thom and 3 from Phnom Penh) Working group was divided into four small teams to mark the on ground UTMs of BC Ramsar site. He also explained about the difficulty of the old BC Ramsar UTM locations where some places cannot access to mark the real locations. Therefore, all teams decided to mark new locations where are accessible. Then proposed these new UTMs for decision from ministries concerned. The proposed new boundary demarcation and UTMs will be reviewed and endorsed by key stakeholder participants during the consultation meeting next day on 10 April 2012. 3. Questions, Comments and Plenary Discussion Mr Sreng, I have written a short story with topic on Benefits and Risks after cancelling fishing lots in the Tonle Sap. It is a short story which has quoted from the public people and interviewed directly with local people and authorities at Boeung Tonle Chhma. Mr. Say Tom, according to your brief finding, between positive and negative impacts which one is more likely to have? Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 3
Mr. Sreng, if we look at the short period, we will see more positive impacts because we see the local people earn more profit from their daily local business. Local people sale well their products and can afford to buy new TV and boat machine etc. But it seems have more negative impacts in long term, especially the poor people will have more competitive to access fishery resources with the rich. And this is just the first rapid survey on perception of people from public, teacher, fish sellers and local authorities. Mr. Pich Sereywath. Maybe it s too fast to interview local people, sometime they are not clear, just saying in general by their own ideas (interview before Prakas, that s why not so clear). Recently FiA has just released a new Prakas with 7 key recommendations of the Prime Minister (PM). Mr. Sreng: I learnt that the Prime Minister has declared on TV of the cancelation for the 37 fishing lots and allow all people to free access to fishing without clearly explain of using fishing gears. I would suggest the PM should declare this new Prakas via TV to inform all fishers to aware of using their fishing gears which allow operating by law. Mr. Long Sochet: Relating to Prakas on family scale fishing gears, I have read the recent Prakas and I noted that this Prakas does not clearly explain to use fishing gears during the close and open fishing seasons. I m considering as well and I have also raised some concerns to H.E Naou Thouk that if family scale fishing gears are too restricted, most poor people will get more negative impacts on their livelihood and they will get involve with illegal activities due to their poor access to fisheries resources. Mr. Sereywath: For sure the latest FiA s Prakas with 7 key recommendations of the PM was quickly written and released to address the unclear issues of using fishing gears. Mr. Long Sochet: If so, I m really happy and support the new Prakas. Mr. Sreng: I would suggest Mr. Sereywath to share all key documents related to fisheries works to our members to understand about the latest news of fisheries sector and to circulate this news to our MWD network. Mr. Sereywath: Absolutely, I m happy to share all fisheries documents to our member. Mr. Long Sochet: I think that maybe local authorities are concerning of communal elections which is closely to be happened soon. Mr. Sereywath: I think most people is still unclear the meaning of the categories of protected areas in Cambodia like core zone, buffer zone, community zone, sustainable use zone, Ramsar site, fisheries conservation area etc. Mr. Sreng: Actually the law and sub-decree have already explained clearly, but the government has limit capacity to provide awareness to all people. We will try our best to mainstream all relevant laws to local people and authorities who are living and working within and around the protected areas. Mr. Long Sochet: I really happy with order of PM to have MoWRAM to crake down all illegal fishing activities and suspended the 35 fishing lots across Tonle Sap areas. Mr. Long Sochet: Recently some offenders are using high-tech machine to catch all fish. They can make profit over 4 or 5 million Riel per night. Mr. Sereywath: Recently deputy prime minister Yim Chaily has told FiA officers must not arrest the villagers Mr. Sereywath: Most cases are not easy to work out due to high ranging officers stay behind. Most officers do not understand about laws. Mr. Sereywath: Most illegal activities always happen at night time and very remote areas where FiA or MoE enforcement officers can not go into the areas, only MoWRAM can do in occasionally because MoWRAM has helicopter to fly over and look for the illegal fishing areas. Mr. Long Sochet: Illegal fishing activities will not finish if the law enforcement officers do not implement the law to arrest the offenders and send them to jail. Mr. Sereywath: Illegal fishing is systematically happening, making law enforcement officers face difficulty. Mr. Sreng: Core Areas should be strictly protected. Mr. Sereywath: Recently Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chaily advised all law enforcement officers to solve the issues in amicable (arrested offenders for education to give up their offense and release them back home). Mr. Sereywath: Fisheries management should involve local or international NGO to provide both technical and financial support to local community. Mr. Buthoeun: NGO support in short time, not long term and not make activities sustainable. When the project finish, the activities end too. Mr. Sereywath: NGO will continue by one to another. If one project finish, other one will continue in different organizations. Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 4
Mr. Bunthoeun: NGO has limit project s life, Department of Coastal Zones and Wetland (DCZW), MoE should cooperate with NGO to manage the projects in certain period of time. Mr. Sreng: Some key NGO like WCS, CI, Birdlife International...etc have projects fund in medium or longer life. Some other NGOs or government bodies used loan budget to run the projects. Financial reform is a must to be considered for each project. Mr. Sereywath: Suggested all NWG members to visit the demarcation site at Boeung Chhmar Ramsar site. Mr Sreng: Yes we will visit the site or maybe the 2 nd NWG meeting will be launched there. Mr. Serewath: Raised a concern on the law enforcement activities around Tonle Sap lake that have been facing with many difficulty due to high ranging officers stay behind the offenses as well as the political pressure of the coming days of communal/ Sangkat election on 03 June 2012. Mr. Sreng: Regarding to IUCN s perception, the allocation of fishing lots to community is good, but must have clear guideline of using fishing gears and clearly define the management zones. Mr. Sreng: Showed Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary s zoning map as an example to explain to members by classifying the Sanctuary into four zones: Core Zone, Conservation Zone, Community Zone and Sustainable Use Zone. Mr. Sereywath: Cooperation work is not easy to bring all relevant ministries to talk in single desk, especially the high ranging officers. Mr. Sereywath: Asked about the power of NWG members, how we can influence to the government? Mr. Sreng: We can influence as much as possible by coordinating both National and subnational level through providing technical support. For example this ongoing BTC boundary demarcation, we asked support from sub-national level to propose the national level for subdecree. Mr. Sreng: My personally I think we should do zoning first, and then follow by other studies and guidelines. Mr. Sereywath: Now I concern of losing flooded forest after fishing lots cancelled, as a result fisheries resources will decline too. Mr. Sreng: We should promote more dialogue between local communities to understand all issues and suitable solutions by involving civil society organizations. All members: Concern on how to manage the site? And recognized we still lack of human resources (lack technical officers to work on the ground). IV- Wrap up and closing meeting: Mr. Say Tom, chair of NWG has brief wrap up of the meeting which included acknowledged to the valuable time of all members who has spend their time and contribution for this NWG meeting, also has committed to share the minutes of this NWG meeting to all NWG members. The meeting ended at 17:15 of the day with pleasure and farmiliarity. Participants and coordination: There were 5 NWG members and 3 of IUCN/MWD staff have coordinated and participated in this NGW meeting as listed below: 1. Mr. Say Tom, Chief of Human Resource Development Office, (DAE), MAFF 2. Mr. Tong Bunthoeun, Office chief, Department of Wetlands & Coastal zone, MoE 3. Mr. Long Sochet, Chairman, Community Fishery Coalition, Tonle Sap 4. Ms. Chao Chantha, 3S rivers community RBO representative 5. Mr. Pich Sereywath, Deputy Director of Department of Community Fisheries Development, Fisheries Administration, MAFF 6. Mr. Kong Kimsreng, Senior Program Officer, IUCN Cambodia 7. Mr. Sorn Pheakdey, MWD Field Coordinator, IUCN Cambodia 8. Mr. Sar Kimleong, Outreach Assistance, IUCN Cambodia Annex 1: Agenda of the meeting Time: 2:00pm-02:30pm: Registration Mr. Sorn Pheakdey Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 5
Time: 02:30pm-02:40pm 1. Welcome and introduction of the meeting agenda - Mr. Say Tom 2. Self introduction (Included new MWD field coordinator) - All participants Time:02:45pm - 3:45pm 1. Briefing progresses of MWD implementation 2011- Kong Kim Sreng 2. Briefing on MWD 2012 activity work plan Kong Kim Sreng 2.1. Q & A with discussion on step forward for implementation - All participants Time: 03:45pm -04:00pm: Coffee break Time: 04:00pm-05:00pm 1. Presentation on results of Boeung Chhmar Boundary Demarcation 2.1. Q and A 2. Wrap up and closing meeting - Mr. Say Tom End of minutes Minutes of 1st Cambodia MWD s NWG Meeting, 09 April 2012 Page 6