Hydropower Development and the Loss of Fisheries in the Mekong River Basin

Campbell, Ian C.; Barlow, Chris

doi:10.3389/fenvs.2020.566509

Cited by 39 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Fish passage facilities have been proposed as one of the main conservation tools for migratory fish species (Silva et al, 2018;O'Brien et al, 2019;Xu et al, 2020), although it has been pointed out that these devices may be an ineffective or incomplete solution in many cases (Pelicice & Agostinho, 2008;Birnie-Gauvin et al, 2019). In the developing regions of the world, the lack of information about the diversity and basic biology of fish species makes it difficult for translocation-based strategies to be successful (Dugan et al, 2010;O'Brien et al, 2019;Campbell & Barlow, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dazed and confused: Behavioural constraints impose major challenges to fish passage in the neotropics

Lopes

Alves²,

Peressin

2021

Aquatic Conservation

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1. The role of fish translocation upstream of dams, for the conservation of migratory species, is controversial. An important but still unaddressed question is whether migratory patterns are affected, after the translocation events, by a hydropower dam. In existing dams, a useful means to test this might be to compare the behaviour of translocated fish with those in undammed river segments in the same region.2. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of fish translocation in promoting access to spawning areas through a behavioural approach using Prochilodus costatus as a study model in the São Francisco River, south-east Brazil.3. The reservoir acted as a barrier to the dispersal of translocated individuals with only a small fraction of the population able to locate lotic stretches in the tributaries. Individuals translocated to undammed stretches of river upstream of the reservoir exhibited movement behaviour that was markedly different from that of individuals native to this region. Translocated individuals mainly displayed an erratic pattern of movement between upstream and downstream stretches of river with no specific route. In contrast, local individuals made long-distance upstream spawning migrations and downstream return migrations to feeding sites during specific periods of the year. The results indicate that translocating individuals upstream of Três Marias damtends to be ineffective for the conservation of P. costatus in the region. The study showed that the behaviour of translocated individuals, a largely neglected factor for the tropical region, may be an additional barrier to the success of conservation programmes based on fish passage systems. For the population studied, the maintenance of a free-flowing stretch where fish are able to complete their life cycle is a more viable and effective alternative for conservation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dazed and confused: Behavioural constraints impose major challenges to fish passage in the neotropics

Lopes

Alves²,

Peressin

2021

Aquatic Conservation

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“…In terms of food, nearly 66% of the population in the Mekong River Basin works in fisheries-related production, and 60% of the local population's protein intake comes from fish [71]. The reduction of local migratory fish populations due to the creation of dams has affected the primary fishing industry [13,72], and although aquaculture is gradually being promoted by the government, it is an important source of protein for the local poor. Hydroelectricity provides energy for mechanized equipment such as combines and rice milling machinery, which have greatly increased local food productivity in the past [73].…”

Section: The Interaction Process Between Hydropower Development and F...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Collaborative Framework for Hydropower Development and Sustainable Livelihood of Farmers in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin: A Review with the Perspective of Energy-Water-Food Nexus

Zhong

Zhu

Zhao

et al. 2022

Water

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With the process of poverty eradication and economic growth, hydropower development becomes increasingly important because of its huge potential advantages in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin. However, the complex topography and rich resource endowments in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin bring a variety of potential risks and uncertainties in hydropower development, which has an important impact on the sustainable livelihood of farmers. There is an urgent need for countries in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin to systematically assess hydropower projects, especially their impact on the sustainable livelihoods of farmers. Based on the systematic analysis of relevant literature, this study established a collaborative framework of hydropower development and farmers’ sustainable livelihood, including theoretical framework, indicator system and model structure. The purpose is to explore the interaction mechanism of energy and water resources utilization, food security and sustainable livelihood of farmers in hydropower development. The findings can provide scientific and technological support for the Belt and Road Initiative, poverty reduction and sustainable development in the river basin.

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“…Stations were spread throughout the lower Mekong Basin, with nine stations in Laos, eight in Cambodia, and eight in Thailand (Figure 1). In Cambodia, the selected stations were Backprea (1), Kampong Thom (2), Kampong Toul (3), Kampong Thmar (4), Mekong (5), Neak Luong (6), Phnom Krom (7), and Tonle Sap (8). In Laos, the selected stations were Ban Hat Kham (9), Ban Keng Done (10), Houay Mak Hiao (11), Nam Houm Dam (12), Nam Ngum (13), Nam Souang (14), Se Bang Fai (15), Sedone Bridge (16), Thaleth Keokou (17).…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to its economic importance, the Mekong River Basin is also a hotspot for biodiversity and is home to critically endangered mega-fish species [6]. Despite its ecological and economic importance, the Mekong Basin is experiencing high rates of environmental degradation from multiple causes such as deforestation, rapid population growth, agricultural development, fish overharvest, and dam development [7][8][9][10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing Land Use and Population Density Are Degrading Water Quality in the Lower Mekong Basin

Tromboni

Dilts

Null

et al. 2021

Water

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Establishing reference conditions in rivers is important to understand environmental change and protect ecosystem integrity. Ranked third globally for fish biodiversity, the Mekong River has the world’s largest inland fishery providing livelihoods, food security, and protein to the local population. It is therefore of paramount importance to maintain the water quality and biotic integrity of this ecosystem. We analyzed land use impacts on water quality constituents (TSS, TN, TP, DO, NO3−, NH4+, PO43−) in the Lower Mekong Basin. We then used a best-model regression approach with anthropogenic land-use as independent variables and water quality parameters as the dependent variables, to define reference conditions in the absence of human activities (corresponding to the intercept value). From 2000–2017, the population and the percentage of crop, rice, and plantation land cover increased, while there was a decrease in upland forest and flooded forest. Agriculture, urbanization, and population density were associated with decreasing water quality health in the Lower Mekong Basin. In several sites, Thailand and Laos had higher TN, NO3−, and NH4+ concentrations compared to reference conditions, while Cambodia had higher TP values than reference conditions, showing water quality degradation. TSS was higher than reference conditions in the dry season in Cambodia, but was lower than reference values in the wet season in Thailand and Laos. This study shows how deforestation from agriculture conversion and increasing urbanization pressure causes water quality decline in the Lower Mekong Basin, and provides a first characterization of reference water quality conditions for the Lower Mekong River and its tributaries.

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Hydropower Development and the Loss of Fisheries in the Mekong River Basin

Cited by 39 publications

References 49 publications

Dazed and confused: Behavioural constraints impose major challenges to fish passage in the neotropics

Dazed and confused: Behavioural constraints impose major challenges to fish passage in the neotropics

A Collaborative Framework for Hydropower Development and Sustainable Livelihood of Farmers in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin: A Review with the Perspective of Energy-Water-Food Nexus

Changing Land Use and Population Density Are Degrading Water Quality in the Lower Mekong Basin

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