Catch and Culture Aquaculture - Environment
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Aquaculture Catch and Culture Aquaculture - Environment Fisheries and Environment Research and Development in the Mekong Region Volume 27, No 2 ISSN 0859-290X August 2021 INSIDE Mitsubishi joins Lao wind project to export power to Viet Nam Water quality still ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ at most sites across Lower Mekong Mud-free farming of eels gathers pace in Mekong Delta Study stresses need to identify organisms at greatest risk from plastics Climate risks moderately to highly negative for Mekong credit ratings How ASEAN central banks are managing climate and environment risks August 2021 Catch and Culture - Environment Volume 27, No. 2 1 Aquaculture Catch and Culture - Environment is published three times a year by the office of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and distributed to over 650 subscribers around the world. The preparation of the newsletter is facilitated by the Environmental Management Division of the MRC Secretariat. Free email subscriptions are available through the MRC website, www.mrcmekong.org. For information on the cost of hard-copy subscriptions, contact the MRC’s Documentation Centre at [email protected]. Contributions to Catch and Culture - Environment should be sent to [email protected] and copied to [email protected]. Editorial Panel: Hak Socheat, Director of Environmental Management Division So Nam, Chief Environmental Management Officer Prayooth Yaowakhan, Ecosystem and Wetland Specialist Nuon Vanna, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology Officer Ly Kongmeng, Water Quality Officer Erinda Pubill Panen, Environmental Monitoring Advisor, GIZ-MRC Cooperation Programme Mayvong Sayatham, Environmental Diplomacy Advisor, GIZ-MRC Cooperation Programme Editor: Peter Starr Designer: Chhut Chheana Associate editor: Michele McLellan The MRC is funded by contributions from its Member Countries and development partners of Australia, Belgium, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States of America and the World Bank. Copyright © Mekong River Commission 2021. First published (1995) This work is an approved product of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat and reflects the collective views of the Commission and its Member Countries. While all efforts are made to present accurate information, the Mekong River Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denomination, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgement on the part of the Mekong River Commission concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of the Mekong River Commission, all of which are specifically reserved. This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made and notification is sent to MRC. The Mekong River Commission Secretariat would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. This publication cannot be used for sale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without permission in writing from the Mekong River Commission Secretariat. Catch and Culture - Environment Mekong River Commission Secretariat ISSN 0859-290 Keywords: fisheries, environment Citation Mekong River Commission. (2021). Fisheries and environment research and development in the Mekong region. Catch and Culture – Environment, 27(2), 1–48. Vientiane: Mekong River Commission Secretariat. Information on MRC publications and digital products can be found at http://www.mrcmekong.org/publications/. All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to: Mekong River Commission Documentation and Learning Centre 184 Fa Ngoum Road, Unit 18, Ban Sithane Neua, Sikhottabong District, Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR Telephone: +856-21 263 263 E-mail: [email protected] Cover photo: Blades of a wind turbine developed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the Danish joint-venture marketing partner of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd in Japan. 2 Catch and Culture - Environment Volume 27, No. 2 August 2021 AquacultureContents Contents 4 Energy Mitsubishi joins Lao wind farm project to export power to Viet Nam 8 Water quality Water quality still ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ at most sites across Lower Mekong Basin 16 Aquaculture Mud-free farming of Asian swamp eels gathers pace in Mekong Delta in Viet Nam 20 Reptile trafficking Reptile traffickers trawl scientific literature to target newly described species 24 Plastic pollution New study stresses need to identify organisms at greatest risk from plastics 26 Zoonoses Four international agencies form new panel to address zoonotic diseases 28 Biodiversity A case for action to address financial impacts of biodiversity loss 30 Climate change (1) Physical climate risks moderately to highly negative for Lower Mekong credit ratings 36 Climate change (2) How ASEAN central banks are managing climate and environment-related risks 46 Prices World fish prices, freshwater prices for fish and other aquatic animals in Thailand and Viet Nam August 2021 Catch and Culture - Environment Volume 27, No. 2 3 Energy Mitsubishi joins Lao wind farm project to export power to Viet Nam New project is estimated to cost between Mitsubishi said the 600 MW capacity wind farm would $0.9 billion and $1.0 billion, making it the be located in the southern provinces of Sekong and largest wind farm in Southeast Asia. It is also Attapeu. By installing a transmission line to Viet Nam, expected to represent the first cross-border power from the farm is planned to be sold to Vietnam wind power interchange in ASEAN if Electricity (EVN) for 25 years. exports to Viet Nam are realised. Greening Viet Nam’s energy mix Japanese trading conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp has “In Vietnam, in addition to the need for further power agreed to invest an undisclosed sum in the first wind supply to support its growing economy, it is crucial to farm in Lao PDR which is expected to become the larg- secure a power source in the dry season, when the est in Southeast Asia. In a statement released on May operating rate of one of Vietnam's main power sourc- 16, Mitsubishi said it was investing in Hong Kong- es, hydro power generation, is limited,” the statement based Impact Energy Asia Development Ltd through said. “The onshore wind farm is expected to operate at a holding company with a group company of Impact a high rate during the dry season, when hydro power Electrons Siam Co Ltd in Thailand. The deal is be- generation is limited, and is expected to contribute to ing executed through Diamond Generating Asia Ltd, the stabilisation of Vietnam's power system while mak- a wholly owned Mitsubishi subsidiary in Hong Kong. ing country’s energy mix greener.” Blades of a wind turbine developed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, the Danish joint-venture marketing partner of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd in Japan. Established in Tokyo in February this year, the new venture is 70 percent owned by Mitsubishi with Vestas holding the remaining 30 percent. In a statement released on February 1, the Japanese company said the global market for wind energy was expected to double over the next 10 years. "In Asia, which accounts for half of that demand, a cumulative mean growth rate of near 10 percent is projected, excluding China,” it said. PHOTO: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS 4 Catch and Culture - Environment Volume 27, No. 2 August 2021 Energy Da Nang VIETNAM LAOS Quang Nam 66 km 180 km to Da Nang Sekong Vietnam Road 16B CAMBODIA VIETNAM Main major ............. Project’s internal substation Attapeu Thanh My substation Location of the project MAP: MITSUBISHI CORP / CHHUT CHHEANA Mitsubishi said the wind farm was being developed as the Thai city of Ubon Ratchatani with the Vietnamese part of a memorandum of understanding on power city of Da Nang. “The area is one of the region’s least interchange between the Vietnamese and Lao govern- developed locations,” it said, adding that the project ments in October 2016. “If electricity exports from this would provide “a multitude of opportunities for the project are realised, it is expected to be the first cross- region’s local community economically through job border electricity interchange from wind power gen- creation and environmentally through clean energy.” eration in South East Asia,” the statement said. The Thai company said the wind project would also The Japanese company said the Lao project was the complement hydropower projects, which make up a the main business of Impact Energy Asia, established large part of the Lao economy but generate power in 2019. The main business of Diamond Generating mainly during the wet season. “By building a wind Asia, set up in 2009, is power development and gener- farm, the country will have a more stable electricity ation in Europe, the Middle-East, and Africa. Another flow throughout the year as wind turbines generate two partners in the venture are Asian renewable energy the highest amount of electricity during dry season,” it developers Earth Power Investment Ltd, a British Virgin said. “Wind energy, when combined with hydropower, Islands company set up in 2011, and BCPG Public Co allows for Laos to distribute renewable energy to other Ltd, a Thai company established in 2015. ASEAN nations evenly throughout the year at a com- petitive price as well as fulfill Laos’ objective of being Wind seen complementing Lao hydropower the ‘Battery of Asia’.” According to Impact Electrons, the estimated cost of the project is between USD 0.9 billion and USD 1.0 BCPG focus on CLMV countries billion. The project is targeted to reach commercial In a meeting with financial analysts to discuss its first- operations by 2023 and could offset more than 35 quarter results on May 19, BCPG said it held a 45 million tonnes of CO2 throughout its lifetime, the com- percent stake in the Lao venture which covered an area pany said.