Law on Fisheries.

This Law is establishes a comprehensive legal framework for the management, conservation, and sustainable development of the country’s fisheries resources. It aims to ensure food security, contribute to the national economy, and protect the rights and livelihoods of fishers, aquaculture farmers, community fisheries, and those engaged in fishery‑related businesses. The law applies to all fisheries resources and activities under Cambodian jurisdiction, as well as Cambodian vessels operating beyond national jurisdiction, in alignment with relevant international treaties.
To achieve sustainable fisheries management, the law defines the roles and responsibilities of competent authorities, primarily the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and sets out principles such as equitable resource use, ecosystem protection, adherence to scientific data, and compliance with international standards. It outlines the classification and regulation of fisheries management areas—both inland and marine—including conservation zones, community fisheries areas, public fishing grounds, aquaculture development zones, and specialized areas such as the Mekong River Dolphin Conservation Area. It also regulates fishing activities by scale, types of fishing gear, vessel categories, aquaculture operations, protection of fishery habitats, and the management of fish and fishery products for domestic and international trade.
The law provides detailed prohibitions (e.g., use of explosives, electrocution, harmful gears, habitat destruction), licensing requirements, closed seasons, gear specifications, aquaculture obligations, vessel monitoring rules, port‑state measures, and safeguards for labor on fishing vessels. It also strengthens enforcement through fisheries inspection powers, judicial police authority, seizure provisions, administrative sanctions, and criminal penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment for offenses such as IUU fishing, habitat destruction, and trafficking of endangered species.