October-December
MekongNews Isue2007/4
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE MEKONG RIVER COMMISSION
Nile Basin Initative shares MRC experience
IN October 20 7 the Mekong River
Commis ion Secretariat hosted a six-
about achieving basinwide
day study tour by 26 members of the
communication, information
Nile Basin Initiative, representing
management and analysis of river
nineAfrican nations.
basin resources.
The delegates from Burundi, the
This type of south-south river basin
Democratic Republic of Congo,
organisation exchange provides an
Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan,
important avenue for co peration
Tanzania and Uganda came from the
betwe n international river basin
Water Resources Plan ing and
organisations and it something the
Management Project (WRPM), which
MRC is ke n to foster in the future.
aims to enhance technical and
Many les ons can be learned from
analytical capacity in the region to
others'experience and this, in turn,
sup ort the development,
benefits the nations involved.
management and protection of the
As the MRC is longest-established
Nile Basin water resources.The
RBO in the developing world it has
WRPM is one of eight projects under
ac umulated a rich database of
the NBI's SharedVision Programme. NBIdelegateswerekeentotakenoteoftheexperiencesoftheMRCprogrammes.
research and technical data on water
The project has thre technical
basin-wide platform for
informed decision making from a
resources management, which can be
components: water policy go d
communication, information
regional perspective.
shared with, or replicated by, younger
practice guides and sup ort; project management, and analysis of the Nile
organisations such as the NBI.
plan ing and management go d
basin water resources.
As the DSS is in its early stages of Inanintensivetwodaysof
practice guides and sup ort; and a
implementation in the Nile Basin, and presentationsanddemonstrations
decision sup ort system (DSS).The It wil also provide a framework for the MRC has already go d experience from the MRC programme staf , the
Nile Basin DSS is the core
sharing knowledge, understanding
of such systems through its own
NBI delegation had the op ortunity to
component of theWRPM project. Its river system behaviour, evaluating
Decision Sup ort Framework (DSF), learnmoreabouthowtheprogramme
objective is to provide a common,
alternative development and
management schemes, and sup orting the delegates were especial y
interested in learning how MRC goes work is implemented in a basinwide
It's ful speed ahead for the Basin Development PConltianuendpage4
AFTER a neces ary period of
reas es ing progres from its first
broader development context of the ef ectively link water resources
phase, and me ting new staf ing
region.
development on the one hand, and the
ne ds, the Basin Development Plan is The BDPPhase 2 is designed to
conservation of the basin's rich
now wel equip ed to forge ahead. institutionalise the participatory
riverine ecology and its huge fresh
water fishery on the other.The thre
The recruitment of the new regional plan ing proces established during Plan elements can be summarised as
BDPteam is almost complete and
BDPPhase 1, and further develop the folows:
national BDPteams have also be n as es ment to ls and plan ing
mobilised.The inception report for capacity to produce a IWRM-based Development Scenarios which as es
the second phase of the programme Basin Development Plan.
the potential for further development
has be n prepared and discus ed with The il ustration (on page 2) shows
of some of the water resources in the
other MRC programmes and in
that the Plan comprises thre elements dif erent parts of the Mekong Basin.
national consultation me tings.
that wil be prepared with sup ort
The results wil guide the formulation
of the Basin IWRM Strategy and the
Before the inception report is
from the National Mekong
Project Portfolio.
finalised, it wil be discus ed in a
Commit e s, national LineAgencies,
regional me ting with important
and other MRC Programmes. Given ABasin IWRM Strategy, which
stakeholders such as representatives the people's high reliance on the
guides the plan ing proces at the
from NGOs, academia, and the
river's natural system, the plan ing basin, national and sub-basin levels. It
private sector, and placed in the
proces requires a strong partnership
of the basin's stakeholders, which can
Continued page 2 Al ongoing water development projects
I
wil be brought into the planning proces .
N
Fish consumption study reveals basin tastes
S
I
Finland supports new Hydropower Programme
D
E
New Junior Riparian Profes ional Project for 2008
6thAnnual Mekong Flood Forum, Cambodia, May 20 8
For information about the MRC please contact: Tel: 856 21 263 263 Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org Website: www.mrcmekong.org

---

Study reveals true fish consumption in LMB
THE people of the Mekong Basin eat
more than 2.6 mil ion ton es of fish
The study also shows that Cambodia
and other aquatic animals (OAAs)
is a net exporter to the other
each year, ac ording to a new fish
countries, as it has a large area of
consumption study conducted by the
productive wetlands, intensive
MRC's Fisheries Programme.
fisheries and moderate population.
The yield estimate indicates an
This figure represents ap roximately
enormous fishery which is vital in
2% of the world's capture fishery.
terms of nutrition, liveliho ds, fo d
The Lower Mekong River Basin
security and culture.
(LMB) fishery has be n the subject of
Various data show that most of the
at least 20 studies on fish
basin's inhabitants fish at some time
consumption that have be n
and that, despite significant
sponsored and implemented by
investments in aquaculture, about
various organisations. Unfortunately,
90% of consumption is derived from
most of the results of the studies are
the wild capture fishery, justifying an
not general y available or synthesised,
increased al ocation of resources to its
so views on the size and value of the
conservation and management.
basin's fisheries vary widely.
These estimates are based on
The `Consumption andYield of Fish
extrapolations of 20 0 figures.
and OtherAquaticAnimals from the AboutonethirdoffishcaughtintheLMBiseateninapreservedordriedform.
Obviously actual yields wil vary
Lower Mekong Basin'study at empts
from year to year, and wil alter as
to estimate the yield (production) of consumption comprises OAAs, such consumption is below average.
populations increase.
the fishery based on data on
as snails, frogs and snakes.
consumption from 20 field surveys in
Inland fish and OAAs provide 47 The study concludes that a regular
the LMB, with some sup orting
About one-third of the fish is
- 80% (country range) of animal
basin-wide consumption survey,
analyses of complementary data.
eaten preserved.
protein with an average intake of 18.3
g/capita/day of a total animal protein sup orted by national statistics and
fisheries agencies, would greatly
These data come from many agencies,
Thailand andViet Nam consume intakeof32.5g/capita/day,ahigh as istinreconcilingconflictingyield
but MRC data is also included.
the most, about one-third of the total
each. Cambodia consumes about one- intake compared with the
estimates and in institutionalising
The study uses figures from the year quarter, and Lao PDR les than one- recommended daily al owance.
methodologies and results for basin-
20 0 when the basin had a population tenth.
Wetland areas are a vital source wide fish yield estimates.
of 56 mil ion and takes as its basis
of fish and OAAs, particularly in
The Fisheries Programme points out
fresh whole animal equivalents.
Per capita consumption of inland
fish and OAAs averages 34 kg/year as Cambodia.
that the study does not take into
Some of the study's key findings are actual consumption. Cambodia and
Even when they are living
ac ount the dramatic increase in
as fol ows:
Viet Nam have above-average per
overseas, people original y from the aquaculture production inViet Nam,
which wil be the subject of a new
About one-fifth of the total
capita consumption, while in Lao
PDR andThailand per capita
basin eat higher amounts of fish and
seafo d than non-Asians.
report at the end of 20 7.
BDP2 on track . . .
alsoprovidesalong-termviewofhow
theMekongBasinmaybedeveloped
ensuring that potential is ues are
andaframeworkwithinwhichthe
mitigated where pos ible.
ProjectPortfoliowil bedesignedand
It is envisioned that many non-
implemented.Thestrategywil build
structural projects in the plan wil be
ontheexistingdirectionsforIWRM
implemented by MRC, within the
intheLowerMekongBasin.
existing programme frameworks,
AProject Portfolio of water and
including technical as istance to the
related resources development
implementation of complementary
projects and sup orting non-structural
IWRM plan ing frameworks at
projects that would continue to
regional, national and sub-basin
develop some of the Basin's land and
levels.
water resources, as envisioned in the
19 5Agre ment.
During the plan ing proces ,
identified gaps in the knowledge base
The IWRM based Basin Development
wil be ad res ed and a
Plan wil employ some existing and
comprehensive plan ing atlas and an
proven to ls, and others to be
updated state-of-basin report wil be
improved, that wil ensure the Plan
achieves benefits for al member
The Plan comprises three elements that wil be prepared with support from the NMCs, prepared. The plan ing proces wil
countries, and the projects comply
LineAgencies and other MRC Programmes.
be sup orted by IWRM plan ing
with sound environmental and
courses and workshops delivered by
socioeconomic principles.
Also the major hydropower
developments on the Lancang in
preparation and implementation of the
structural projects includes:
MRC's Integrated Capacity Building
Programme and selected institutions
Al ongoing, plan ed and identified China wil be brought into the
reviewing terms of references,
in the basin countries.
significant water resources
plan ing proces , since these may
feasibility studies and environmental
development projects wil be brought cause a larger impact on the flow
impact as es ments; sup orting
Training topics include the
into the plan ing proces .This wil regime of the Mekong River than the transboundary impact as es ment and formulation and evaluation of
of er a platform for MRC to engage plan ed projects in the four countries monitoring; and facilitating project development scenarios, the use of
in transboundary as es ment, based that share the Lower Mekong Basin. preparation and implementation.
MRC's model ing and as es ment
on IWRM, and help prevent potential
to ls and proces es, the integration
transboundary disputes caused by
The Plan wil be implemented by the Such as istance wil further
and harmonisation of plan ing acros
water resources development projects. countries and their development
partners. MRC's contribution to the strengthen MRC's role in
transboundary governance as wel as sectors and areal jurisdictions, and
dispute and trade-of facilitation.

---

Finland backs MRC hydropower, capacity building work
THEMekongRiverCommis ionand
theGovernmentofFinlandhave
TheWaterManagementTrustFundis
signedanagre mentworthEuro2
aflexiblefundwhichwasestablished
milion(aroundUS$2.85milion)to
bytheMRCsoitcanrespondtoshort
sup ort hedevelopmentofa
termne dsofitsmembercountries
hydropowerprogramme(one
whichitsprogrammescan otme t.
milionEeuro),JuniorRiparian
Theseincludestrategicpolicystudies
Profes ional(JRP)project(750,0 0
andconsultancies,studyvisitsand
Euro)andfortheMRC'sWater
consultationproces eson
ManagementTrustFund(250,0 0
transboundaryis ues,andprogramme
Euro).
developmentne dssuchasreview
workshopsandevaluations.
Thenewfundingagre ment,which
wil bespreadoverfouryears,was
H.E. Lars Backström (left) explains the importance of the new agreement.
MrHungthankedtheFin ish
signedbyH.E.LarsBackström,
TheJRPprojectispartoftheMRC's involvementinhydropower
Governmentforitscontinuedgenerous
Ambas adorofFinlandtoLaoPDR IntegratedCapacityBuilding
developmentistopromoteef icient sup ortfortheworkoftheMRC,
andMrDoManhHung,Of icer-in- Programmeandthissecondphasewil andsocio-economicalyand
notingitalreadysup ortedthe
ChargeoftheMRCSecretariatin
se 40brightyoungriparian
environmentalyap ropriate
InformationandKnowledge
Vientianeon7November20 7.
profes ionalsgiventheop ortunityto developmentofhydropowerinthe
ManagementProgramme."Weare
particularlygratefulforFinland's
Thisagre mentwil enabletheMRC work,trainandlearnat heMRCover MRCmembercountriesina
sup ortintheareasofcapacity
tostartupitshydropowerprogramme aperiodoffouryears.
co perativeandco rdinatedway.
buildingandhydropowerdevelopment,
andfundasecondphaseoftheJRP TheMRChasbe nplan ingto
Itwil focusonthestrengtheningof whicharetwooftheareasintrinsicaly
project,aswel assup ortingthe
commenceahydropowerprogramme basin-wideco perationbetwe nline tiedtosustainabledevelopmentinthe
WaterManagementTrustFund.
forsometime.TheobjectiveofMRC's agenciesintheenergysector
basin,"hesaid.
Denmark supports implementation of review recommendations
THE Government of the Kingdom of Denmark has
signed an agre ment worth 3 mil ion Danish
Management at the MRC Secretariat and NMCs) to
Kroner (ap roximately US$535,0 0) to sup ort the
facilitate and sup ort, among other areas, the
implementation of the recommendations of an
implementation of riparianisation of the MRC.
independent review into the MRC and the National
As wel as strengthening the MRC management
Mekong Commit e s (NMCs), undertaken last year,
capacity, funds wil be used to specify common
and to increase capacity building activities in the
guidelines, roles and responsibilities of the MRCS,
MRC Secretariat.
NMCs and MRC; and to provide an in-depth
The new funding agre ment was signed by H.E. Mr
analysis of long-term core functions and staf
Peter Lysholt Hansen,Ambas ador of Denmark to
policies of the MRCS.
Viet Nam and Of icer in Charge of the MRC
Ambas ador Hansen and Mr Do Manh Hung in Viet Nam. The funding wil also provide sup ort, in the form
Secretariat, Mr Do Manh Hung at the Danish
of expert or consultancy as istance, to the working
Embas y in Hanoi,Viet Nam.
Organisational, Financial and Institutional Review proces es being car ied out by various task forces
The funding provides for the relevant
of the MRC Secretariat and the NMCs relating to involved in the implementation of the
re
capacity building activities (including in sup ort of recommendations, to al ow them to car y out more
IconmmefndoatiornsmoftheaIndetpeindoentn procdapacuitybcuildtinsgforIntegratedWaterResources in-depthanalysisasneded.
FisheriesfilmsinLaoandEnglish Proce dingsofthe5thAn ual
An Introduction to the Mekong Catch & Culture
MekongFlo dForum
Fisheries of Thailand
Is ue2/20 7
These films about the
DevelopmentSeriesNo5
Lao andThai fisheries
This CD-ROM
This is ue of Catch
have be n produced
contains the
This report on the
and Culture features a
by national fisheries
proce dings of the 5th
fisheries ofThailand is
selection of articles on
agencies to reflect the
An ual Mekong
designed for the non-
fisheries research into
importance of the
Flo d Forum Flo d
technical reader and
selective bre ding,
fisheries in these two Forum, `Improving InputsTowards
features a description
transboundary catfish
countries.The Lao
MediumTerm Flo d Forecasting and
of theThai fishery and
migration and the
film `Fisheries of Lao Warning in the Mekong Basin', held
its importance to
Mekong flo d regime. It also
PDR' is available in in Ho Chi Minh City,Viet Nam on people at al levels of society in
discus es catfish aquaculture and the
Lao and English.TheThai film River 17-18 May 20 7, including text of
Thailand. It features many colour
huge fish proces ing facilities in the
of Life is available in English and
presentations and photographs.
photos and il ustrations.The report is VietnameseDeltaregion.
Thai.
July20 7.US$3.0 (pluspostage)
available in English andThai.
Fre (postageap lies)
September 20 7 $5.0 (Plus postage)
September20 7US$10.0 (pluspostage)
For ac es to the latest reports and research on development is ues visit www.mekonginfo.org
How to order
Contact
Al productscanbeorderedfromtheMRCSecretariat'sDocumentationCentre.
DocumentationCentre
Postagecostsap ly.MekongregiongovernmentagenciesmaywritetotheMRC
toobtainfre copies.
MekongRiverCommis ionSecretariat
ChecktheMRCwebsiteforaful listofproducts.Creditcardsalesarealso
P.O.Box6101,184FaNgoumRoad,Unit18,BanSithaneNeua,
availablethroughthewebsite,www.mrcmekong.org.
SikhotabongDistrict,Vientiane010 0,LaoPDR
Al productsarealsoavailableasfre downloadsfromtheMRCwebsite.
Phone:(85621)263263ext:1041 Fax:(85621)263264
Email:doc.centre@mrcmekong.org Website:www.mrcmekong.org

---

Helping hand for tomor ow's leaders NileBasin
YOUNG riparian profes ionals
visit. .
working in IntegratedWater
From page 1
Resources Management (IWRM) in
the Mekong Basin wil so n have an
framework.They, in turn, presented
op ortunity to gain training and
their work in the Nile Basin to
hands-on experience through a new
interested MRCS and National
MRC training programme which wil
Mekong Commit e participants.
commence in early 20 8.
The NBI visitors to k particular note
The second phase of the suc es ful
of the operation of the MRC's DSF
Junior Riparian Profes ional project
model ing system, which is being
wil enable 40 promising young
used to estimate the costs and
profes ionals from water resource
benefits of various development
related sectors to work with the MRC.
scenarios within the Mekong Basin
During this time they wil learn more
which have transboundary
about international co peration,
implications.
regional investment, programme
JRPs on the first scheme get hands-on experience during a study tour of the Mekong.
development and management in
The delegates were able to draw key
water resources related sectors and lecturers from universities and
The JRPtraining project wil be
les ons from the development and
how to use sophisticated IWRM
training institutes situated in the
conducted using competency-based ap lications in the DSF which they
software to ls, such as the MRC's
Lower Mekong Basin.
modules consisting of thre
hope wil improve the NBI's DSS.
Decision Sup ort Framework.
Exposing these young lecturers to
progres ive stages:
The group spent thre days in
MRC anticipates this four year
Mekong co peration through practical a) "Learn to do": training on IWRM Vientiane then travel ed to Phnom
programme wil bolster the
experience wil strengthen academic concepts, techniques and to ls;
Penh where they to k a boat trip to
ap lication of IWRM skil s and
institutions.Also IWRM-related
b) "Do to learn": the traine s are
the confluence of the Mekong and
knowledge by young riparian
training modules, developed out of required to ap ly what they learn to Bas ac Rivers and saw, first hand, the
profes ionals and wil also improve this project, could be replicated at
their work as ignment with proper
MRC's latest suc es ful navigation
the IWRM cur iculum used by
provincial levels.
coaching from as igned advisors; and project,theinstalationofnavigation
training institutions in the MRC
c) "Share to learn": junior
buoys and beacons on the stretch of
member countries.
Phase two of the JRPproject wil take
gender mainstreaming in water
profes ionals wil return to their
organisations and share their
the river from Phnom Penh to the
Viet Nam border.
The target groups of participants for resources development policy and
experience with their col eagues and
this second phase have be n
strategy into consideration and it wil ap lytheacquiredskils.
expanded to include thre categories: improve its gender balance by
Technical: those working in water
providing sup ort mechanisms for
Asup ort mechanism wil facilitate
related areas; International Relations: women participants with children.
the transfer of the JRPs back into
those working in administration and
their organisations and encourage
co rdination; and,Academic: young The project aims to have at least 35%
of the JRPintake being female.
them to ap ly their IWRM knowledge
and skil s in their work.
Project highlights uses of paddy fields
THEAgriculture, Ir igation and
The boat trip took the group to see
Forestry Programme held its fourth It is hoped this evaluation wil
The les ons from these projects can navigationaidsontheMekong.
and final regional workshop on the provide people with bet er
understanding of the varied roles
now be used in al four countreis to
enhance their knowledge of the
Fol owing this, they spent a day at
Demonstration of Multi-functionality performed by pad y fields.
importance of pad y fields.
the MRC's Regional Flo d
of Pad y Fields (DMPF) project at Includedintheresearchworkwere TheDMPFhascompletedalmostal ManagementandMitigationCentre
the MRC Secretariat on 24August projectsonflo dmitgationin
its plan ed activities and is now
where they learned about the flo d
20 7.
nurturingaquaticeco-systems,soil
compiling al the information
forecasting systems in use in the
The project, which was funded by the conservationandsocio-economic
including its outputs into the project basin and the implementation of
Government of Japan, had two main is uesinnortheastThailandandthe completion (final) report.This final flo d preparednes and early warning
activities: to col ect data and establish MekongDeltainVietNam.
report wil be made available by the a systems.
a DMPF database and to analyse the Around30participantsfromthefour endof20 7.
The NBI and the MRC share similar
multiple roles of pad y fields.
MemberStatesandresourcepersons An electronic version of the
goals. NBI member countries have a
The workshop summarised the
hadactivediscus ionontheanalysed workshop proce dings is now
shared vision, to "achieve sustainable
activities of the six-year long project functionsandimportanceofthose
available on the MRC website
socioeconomic development through
and presented the results of analysis functionsandthepad yfields
(www.mrcmekong.org/download/prog the equitable utilisation of, and
work on several specific pad y fields' themselves.Theyalsodiscus ed
rammes/AIFP/DMPF-4thWS-main- benefit from, the common Nile Basin
f Uunctions.
methodstodis eminateprojectoutputs. R.pdf).
water resources".
1st p
Asi c
a Pao
cificm
Wateirn
Sumg
mit events
3-4 December, Bep u, Japan
ECWATECH: international congres
13thWorldWater Congres
www.apwf.org
"Water: ecology and technology"
3 to 6 June 20 8, Moscow, Rus ia
1-4 September 20 8, Montpel ier, France
www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/1406.shtml
5th International Symposium on Environmental
ht p:/ www.ecwatech.com/
Interdisciplinary Solutions to Instream Flow
Hydraulics (ISEH V)
Expo Zaragoza 20 8 'Water and Sustainable
Problems
4-7 December 20 7, Tempe,Arizona, United States
Development'
7-9 October 20 8, SanAntonio, Texas,
www.iahr.net/iseh/home/index
14 June - 14 September 20 8, Zaragoza, Spain
www.instreamflowcouncil.org
ASIA20 8: 2nd International Symposium onWater www.unesco.org/water/water_events/Detailed/142 .shtml
Resources and Renewable Energy Development in
Fourth International Symposium on GIS/Spatial
Asia
analyses in Fishery andAquatic Sciences
Mekong News is published quarterly by the
10-1 March 20 8, Danang, Viet Nam,
25-29August 20 8,.Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
Mekong RiverCommis ion Secretariat in
mf@hydropower-dams.com www.hydropower-dams.com
Cal for papers: ht p:/ www.esl.co.jp/Sympo/index.htm
Vientiane, Lao PDR. Please send comments,
queries and ideas to the Communications Of icer,
Phone: (856-21) 263 263 ext. 4703 Fax: (856-21)
263 264 Email: virginia@mrcmekong.org

---