Fish experts to confer on enhanced regional fisheries productivity
Lao and international fish experts are set to discuss ways to promote greater fisheries productivity in the region to push for food security, at an upcoming conference scheduled to take place in Vientiane. The International Fishway Conference scheduled to take place from November 14-17 will bring together more than 150 experts to discuss innovative approaches to securing regional fisheries productivity as irrigation and other river development projects expand. Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Lower Mekong Fish Passage Conference will discuss how applied research can be used to enhance policy and decision-making across the region, according to the Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre. Drawn from the public and private sectors as well as academic institutions, the experts in river development, fish passage and aquatic ecosystem management are mainly from Australia, United States, Europe, South America and the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Director General of the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Dr Bounthong Bouahom, was quoted as saying that the region is currently experiencing an unprecedented boom in river development projects which will increase agricultural and power generation output for years to come, so there is a need to ensure these projects do not affect food security.
