A PPP article looking at the different styles of development on Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem. There are environmental problems with both the big group development projects and the shacks that have sprung up overnight with very little forethought on the beachfront.
A Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA) to protect the marine life around the islands was created in June 2016. At least it has been acknowledged that the islands need some help with protection, but in reality not much is enforced; the major obstacle seems to be the reliance on self-policing which works about as well as you would expect when financial interests are at stake.

Full article: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-weeke ... d-paradise

Development plans for Koh Rong and nearby islands unchanged by marine park
13 February 2018
Businesses expect the establishment of Cambodia’s first marine national park covering seven coastal islands to boost tourism in the area, while government officials said yesterday it would not affect private development scheduled for the islands.

A sub-decree signed by Prime Minister HE on Thursday designated 52,448 hectares of national park off Cambodia’s southern coast, but only 5,311 hectares of that area was land. The two most popular and developed islands on the list, Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem, have land masses of about 7,800 hectares and 2,450 hectares, respectively, and thus are not entirely covered by the designation.

Local conglomerate Royal Group, owned by Kith Meng, was granted a concession to develop Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem in 2008, and planned to spend $2 billion to turn large swaths of the island into a “luxury resort destination”, according to Bloomberg’s news service.

Those plans are unlikely to be affected by the recent announcement, according to Preah Sihanouk province’s Deputy Governor Kong Vitanak.

“The national park will not impact to small business holders, investors, developers or villagers,” he said yesterday.

Vitanak said that the exact areas that would belong to the national park had not yet been finalised, as officials from the Ministry of Environment were still measuring the area. A spokesman for the ministry could not be reached yesterday.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/d ... arine-park

Officials seek assistance in planning for marine park
23 February 2018
Environmental officials confirmed yesterday that they are seeking the assistance of conservation NGO Fauna and Flora International (FFI) in drafting a management plan for the new Koh Rong Marine National Park, and that for now, the previous conservation structure operated by the Fisheries Administration and FFI will remain in place.

“Right now we are looking for technical cooperation with FFI, for support by experts and scientific research to make the management plan,” said Thay Chantha, director of the Ministry of Environment’s Marine Conservation Department.

Prior to last month’s establishment of the park, subject to the Protected Areas Law, the waters around Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem were protected by a Marine Fisheries Management Area (MFMA) established in 2016 by the FiA and FFI.

“Everything the MFMA has, they have to continue, but they have to cooperate with the [Ministry of Environment], especially with our rangers at the sub-national level,” Chantha said, noting that rangers are on site to patrol land designated for protection, and will also begin to patrol the waters using one speedboat. “The fisheries conservation area is the part of the [new park], but that part will have some review because it does not fit the Protected Areas Law,” he continued.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/o ... arine-park

Cambodia-China Sign Four Agreements on Maritime Resource Protection
30/04/19 03:11

Beijing, China (FN), April 29 – Cambodia-China signed in Beijing on Sunday the four technical cooperation agreements on maritime resource protection.

Cambodian Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment Eang Sophalleth and Wang Hong, Party Committee Member of Ministry of Natural Resources Administrator of State Oceanic Administration of China, signed four agreements on coral preservation and management; on establishment of marine environmental monitoring and research stations; on joint survey of marine ecosystems program; on maritime resource region allocations.
=FRESH NEWS