World Wildlife Fund, Mekong River related report
19% of 1,100 species at risk of extinction
This is due to a reduction in water flow due to the construction of hydroelectric dams.
Fishermen catch fish in the Mekong River that flows past Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2022. Phnom Penh = Reporter Heo Gyeong-ju
An environmental group has claimed that a fifth of the fish species living in the Mekong River, ‘South East Asia’s lifeline’, are at risk of extinction. It is analyzed that the construction of large-scale hydroelectric dams in China has a negative impact on the ecosystem by blocking waterways. A red light has also turned on for the livelihood of countless fishermen who make the river their home.
WWF: “19% of all species are at risk of extinction”
According to Reuters on the 5th, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s largest non-profit environmental organization, said in a report released the previous day: It has been revealed that at least 19% of the 1,148 fish species in the Mekong River are at risk of extinction. Among these, 18 species, including the giant Mekong catfish and giant freshwater stingray, are ‘critically endangered’.Selected as 25 global marine and wildlife conservation organisations, including WWF, took part in the analysis.
The Mekong River is a 4,800 km long river that originates in the Tibetan Plateau of China, flowing through Yunnan Province, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia before flowing into the South China Sea. It is known to have the third largest number of fish species in the world, following the Amazon River in South America and the Congo River in central and west Africa, and accounts for 15% of the world’s inland fish catch.
A fisherman picks up a giant carp, the world’s largest carp species, in Tonle Sap Lake, part of the Mekong River system in Cambodia. Provided by ‘Mekong River Wonder’ by the USAID Ecological Conservation Foundation
It is also a lifeline for the Indochina Peninsula. 4,000 people are involved in farming and fishing near the Mekong River.10,000 peopleIt exceeds this. WWF Chief Scientist Jeffrey Offerman said, “5 million people are directly employed in the fishing industry, and the annual income from fishing in the downstream region amounts to $11 billion (approximately 14 trillion gain),” adding, “It is the third largest share of Cambodia’s GDP.” “It equates to 20%,” he explained. This means that the decline in fish species in the Mekong River is directly linked to food security in Southeast Asia.All.
A Chinese dam blocks the Mekong River
The report is ‘Hydroelectric power generation’ was identified as the biggest reason for the decline in fish species. China built its first large dam on the Mekong River in 1990 for hydroelectric power generation. Currently, there are 11 dams in operation. After that, Laos, located upstream from the river, also built a dam competitively. Following this It was noted that the survival of fish in the Mekong River was at risk because ① the flow rate decreased significantly, ② fish habitats were destroyed, and ③ sediment that provided nutrients decreased.in.
The Mekong River seen from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, in November last year. The dry season coincided with a reduction in flow, and the water depth decreased. Vientiane = Correspondent Heo Gyeong-ju
Jeb Hogan, CEO of Mekong River Wonders, an ecological conservation foundation under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), participated in the analysis. “The biggest threat to the Mekong River now and in the future is the development of hydroelectric power.”He said, “It is also a problem that (dams placed along the river) change the flow of the river, change the water quality, and block the movement of migratory fish species upstream during the spawning season.” The report is Climate change, an increase in invasive species, and indiscriminate sand mining are other factors contributing to extinction.analyze.
Five countries in Southeast Asia through which the Mekong River passes reported the news of the decline in fish species as big news on this day. However, Cambodia and Laos did not mention dams as the biggest risk factor. They are all pro-China representative countries in Southeast Asia participating in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road (Land and Sea Silk Road)’ project. It is interpreted that they failed to note that ‘Chinese dams are a threat to survival’ because they are aware of China’s enormous financial power.
Hanoi= Heo Gyeong-ju Reporter fairyhkj@hankookilbo.com
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