It is now illegal by Cambodian law to capture, collect, trade or kill endangered species in Cambodia. For many years there has been a list of vulnerable and endangered species here in Cambodia but this was never intergrated fully into Cambodian Law, leaving loop holes that allowed the continuing decline of many Cambodian Species.

Within the last two months a Royal Government of Cambodia Sub-Decree has made the protection of Cambodia's endangered species an official Law. Below is the official list of Cambodia's Marine Endangered Species. It is now Illegal to trade, kill or catch the species listed. With the option now to use the full extent of the law to enforce and punish individuals or groups engaged in illegal activities involving Cambodia's endangered species we hope to see a sharp decline in the Illegal trade or Seahorses, and a change in the constant decline of Cambodia,s Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles.

A Big Thank you to the Cambodian Fisheries Conservation Department who used our data on the seahorse populations around the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem to upgrade Seahorses from vulnerable to endangered allowing for the legislation needed to fully protect this once abundant Cambodian Species.

With the creation of this Sub-Decree comes the legal empowerment of fisheries officials,  the investigations are now underway into many illegal activities within Cambodia's marine environment.

Note:

Since the original writing of this article even stronger legislation has been put in place by the Fisheries conservation department more details on this can be requested by contacting the Cambodian Fisheries Conservation Department directly, as yet the documents have not been translated from Khmer to English.

Even with this strong legislation in place Cambodia's endangered marine species are still under threat from destructive and illegal fishing practices, stronger implementation of law enforcement is needed, as it stands the resources needed to fully protect Cambodia,s marine environment are still limited.