Cambodian families choose between land and fish
Out at sea, soft waves pressed and seesawed Sorm Doeun’s boat as he took a careful drag of his cigarette without shifting the rudder. He kept the craft steady for his weary son, who was napping in the bow after a morning casting nets.
Along the coast, duos of volunteers carefully brought containers filled with crab eggs to the shoreline. Ung Bun, manager of a “crab bank” programme, released eggs from pregnant crabs to bolster wild populations and boost local catches.
Inside a home, plastic coiled around her big toe as Tan Leakhena masterfully wove metres-worth of fishing net. Watching over two of her three children, who were too young to help, Leakhena’s hands remained a blur for most of the afternoon.
