National Fish Day
Tuesday, 3 July 2007 by Dr Maytel
Mien Dtuk Mien Dtrey - Have Water, Have Fish
July 1st was National Fish Day in Cambodia.
Fish comes in as a close second to rice as Cambodia’s most important food stuff, and is usually fermented into fish paste known as prahoc. Gut Feelings team member and foremost Cambodian food blogger has the low down on this fishy treat.
The majority of fish, that is such a crucial protein element in the Cambodian diet, comes from the Tonle Sap, but like fisheries elsewhere in the world, fish stocks in the Tonle Sap are coming under increasing pressure.
The Mekong River Commission's bi-annual newsletter reported recently that:
"Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned that population pressures, severe poverty and unequal access to the benefits of economic growth are exerting an “enormous risk” on the ecological system of the Tonle Sap Lake. “The lake is facing a serious threat of overexploitation and its ecosystem has turned quite fragile. Honestly, if this problem is not addressed decisively and soon enough, Cambodia could face a serious environmental disaster,” he told a national forum on the Tonle Sap sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in March."
A little more close to home, y'all may appreciate these 3 tips on eating fish sustainably from Worldwatch
Eating Sustainable Seafood - Three Tips to Steer Clear of Fisheries Collapse
1. Eat less of the big fish such as salmon, tuna, swordfish and sharks. These are among the most vulnerable populations, and also the fish that live the longest, have the most fat, and accumulate the most toxins over their lifespan.
2. Eat lower on the marine food chain, including smaller species such as clams, oysters, mollusks, anchovies, and sardines. Smaller species are less endangered because they are more abundant, reproduce faster, and feed lower on the food chain (so they don’t consume other fish themselves.) They also have less fat and don’t accumulate as many toxins as the larger, longer-lived fish species.
3. Keep in mind how fish are caught. Some trawling nets are so large they could pull a 747 jet off the ocean floor. Instead, choose fish caught by line, pot, or net (or other artisanal methods) and avoid trawl-caught fish.
July 1st was National Fish Day in Cambodia.
Fish comes in as a close second to rice as Cambodia’s most important food stuff, and is usually fermented into fish paste known as prahoc. Gut Feelings team member and foremost Cambodian food blogger has the low down on this fishy treat.
The majority of fish, that is such a crucial protein element in the Cambodian diet, comes from the Tonle Sap, but like fisheries elsewhere in the world, fish stocks in the Tonle Sap are coming under increasing pressure.
The Mekong River Commission's bi-annual newsletter reported recently that:
"Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned that population pressures, severe poverty and unequal access to the benefits of economic growth are exerting an “enormous risk” on the ecological system of the Tonle Sap Lake. “The lake is facing a serious threat of overexploitation and its ecosystem has turned quite fragile. Honestly, if this problem is not addressed decisively and soon enough, Cambodia could face a serious environmental disaster,” he told a national forum on the Tonle Sap sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in March."
A little more close to home, y'all may appreciate these 3 tips on eating fish sustainably from Worldwatch
Eating Sustainable Seafood - Three Tips to Steer Clear of Fisheries Collapse
1. Eat less of the big fish such as salmon, tuna, swordfish and sharks. These are among the most vulnerable populations, and also the fish that live the longest, have the most fat, and accumulate the most toxins over their lifespan.
2. Eat lower on the marine food chain, including smaller species such as clams, oysters, mollusks, anchovies, and sardines. Smaller species are less endangered because they are more abundant, reproduce faster, and feed lower on the food chain (so they don’t consume other fish themselves.) They also have less fat and don’t accumulate as many toxins as the larger, longer-lived fish species.
3. Keep in mind how fish are caught. Some trawling nets are so large they could pull a 747 jet off the ocean floor. Instead, choose fish caught by line, pot, or net (or other artisanal methods) and avoid trawl-caught fish.
