Handout 2.9 Issues in Southern Floodplains and the Delta
Implications for Basin Planning in Southern Floodplains and Delta
There are a number of issues in the Southern floodplains and delta. None of
these issues have easy answers but a Basin plan must put in place ways in
which the people of the Mekong Basin can find the answers.
The southern floodplains and delta are a fishery (capture and aquaculture) for
the whole of the Basin. Fish migrate from here to other parts of the Basin not
only by swimming along the rivers but also by being sold to other parts of the
Basin. Sustainably managing such a large fishery is complex. The population
of the southern floodplain and delta is large and even though growth rates are
low in the Vietnamese delta, the total population which needs to be supported
is large.
Are there ways to increase aquacultural production sustainably ? e.g. by
promoting sustainable fish-rice rotations
Are there ways to protect the valuable capture and aquaculture fishery
against pollution either from fertlisers and chemicals associated with
agriculture or from possible chemical spills from river transport ?
Aquaculture is relatively undeveloped in Cambodia and many poor people in
both Cambodia and Viet Nam rely on the capture fishery.
Are there ways to sustainably manage the capture fishery – e.g. reduce
over-fishing and protect important habitats ?
Are there ways of improving the access of poor people to fishery
resources through small scale aquaculture production ?
Changes in land use on the floodplain (urbanisation and the move toward
permanent crops rather than rice) will have implications for flooding by
changing flood flows and exposing more people to flooding.
Are there ways of planning the construction of embankments and levees
to minimize their impact on flooding ?