CIVIBADemocracy and Civic Practices

Project

Northern Mekong Fish Conservation Zones

Xayabury · North · Laos

Commons and belongingCivic food2013-2014

Six no-fishing stretches of the Mekong, guarded by committees from nine villages in Xayaboury, Luang Prabang and Vientiane province, protect the spawning of large threatened barbs; at the Kengmai rapids, four villages in two provinces share about 5 km of river. They combine village patrols with the Buddhist consecration of deep pools. Participants mention friction with fishers, reluctance to fine relatives, no money for fuel, and fishing with electricity and dynamite. There is no record of activity since 2020.

Led by
Nine riverside villages with FISHBIO and IUCN, funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF); rules approved by district governors
Status
Unknown
Participation
Co-governed
Visitable
No, it is a network of villages
Website
fishbio.com/projects/strengthening-fish-conservation-zone-network-northern-laos ↗
Contact
No public contact on record
Last reviewed
1 October 2026

Verification

Partially verified

This place has at least one source on record and awaits a second one for contrast. Full verification will arrive in the review phase of the atlas.

  • Verified two sources including a primary one, or first-hand knowledge of the place
  • Partial one source on record
  • Unverified starting knowledge, sources pending

Sources

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