Mekong basin’s vanishing fish signal tough times ahead in Cambodia
Tbong sits in the shade of a makeshift stilt hut over the edge of Tonlé Sap lake, surrounded by curious children.
“Snake, catfish, elephant fish …” he says, his eyes crinkled against the sun. “Before, a long time ago … the lake had a lot of catfish.”
But in just one generation, everything has changed. Fish species are dwindling, plant life is dying and the entire Mekong system is breaking apart. For the children gathered around Tbong, a plentiful Tonlé Sap is nothing but a story.
