Official Trip Report of the Local Workshop on Compilation of Fisheries Information and Statistics on Inland fisheries

Date:12-15 February 2012
Venue: Pursat Province, Cambodia

Objectives:
1. To finalize the questionnaire for data collection in inland fisheries in Cambodia;
2. To improve methodology on survey and data analysis on Inland fisheries in Cambodia;
3. To improve compilation of information and statistics on Small-scale inland fisheries in Cambodia.

Participants:
FiA Cambodia
1. Mr. Hong Hy Director of Fisheries Inspectorate
2. Mr. Ouk Vibol Acting Director of Fisheries Conservation Department

3. Mr. Lieng Sopha Acting Director of Community Fishery Development Department

4. Mr. Hort Sitha Vice Chief of Administration office of IFReDI
5. Mr. Soun Chhun Heang FiA Officer of Planning Development
6. Mr. Phum Vimol FiA Officer of Pursat Province

SEAFDEC

1. Mr. Hidenao Watanabe Assistance Trust Fund Manager
2. Ms. Sumitra Ruangsivakul Socio-economic Section Head
3. Ms. Jariya Sornkliang Socio-Economic Scientist
4. Ms. Thanyalak Suasi Socio-Economic Scientist
5. Ms. Rattana Tiaye Fishery Governance and Management System Scientist

Result of the Workshop

The Local Workshop on Compilation of Fisheries Information and Statistics on Inland fisheries, Cambodia was organized at Pursat Province, Cambodia on 13-14 February 2012, to finalize the questionnaire for data collection and improve compilation of information and statistics on inland small-scale fisheries in Cambodia. The workshop is the activity under the project on Improvement of Information Gathering System for IUU-Fishing Related Countermeasures in the Southeast Asia. The workshop was attended by 6 representatives of FiA Cambodia, and 5 representatives of SEAFDEC.

The workshop was divided into 2 parts, the first part was conduct pre-test questionnaire by interviewing fishermen with 2 Community Fisheries, which selected by FiA’s officer. The total number of sampling was 30 fishermen, 15 fishermen each from Anlong Rang and Ota Prok Community fisheries which is the floating village of Krakor district, Pursat Province. The second part was organizing group discussion at Fisheries Cantonment Office, Pursat Province to conclude questionnaire, number of sample and way forward on improving data collection in the future.

Pre-test of questionnaire at Anlong Rang and Ota Prok Community fisheries, Krakor district, Pursat Province, Cambodia

For pre-test of questionnaire, 30 sampling of fishermen were interviewed using local language with a questionnaire, which was prepared in English. The responses were translated into English by FiA’s staff and record on the questionnaire by SEAFDEC’s staff. The main of data collection was emphasized on catch production that was used to calculate the total catch of Community fishery by using the formula as follow:

T = Total catch in each community fishery per year (Ton)

Xi = Catch volume of each Sample per year (kg.)

N = Total number of fishermen

n = Number of Sampling

i = Sampling no. 1, 2, 3,…, n

Total catch of Anlong Rang Community Fisheries is 690.64 Ton/year
Total catch of Ota Prok Community Fisheries is 488.11 Ton/year

Ms. Sumitra presented the result of pre-test questionnaire including the calculation of total catch in Community Fisheries that Mr. Hong Hy suggested to edit the formula on total number of fishermen to total number of fisheries household. The meeting proposed to add more question into the questionnaire sheet, e.g., number of fishing gear, mesh size of gill net and fish processing per month.

Mr. Soun Chhun Heang explained more on data collection in Cambodia that the fisheries Cantonment officers was collecting monthly data on catch production in each fishing gear and catch species by random fishermen sampling in Community fisheries for daily catch production, number of fishing day per month and calculate the total catch of cantonment and sending to headquarters in Phnom Penh.

Mr. Watanabe proposed the effective on data gathering that FiA should conduct from bottom up system and FiA should encourage the extension officer to work with Community Fisheries. The other way on data collection in Community may be collected from middleman in each Community Fisheries. He also mentioned on SEAFDEC’s proposal in 2013 to promoting Fisheries census for SEAFDEC’s member countries.

Mr. Lieng Sopha proposed to organize the onsite training on data collection for extension officer. He would further develop project proposal on extension training course and submit to SEAFDEC.

Group discussion at Fisheries Cantonment office, Pursat Province