Maximizing Utilization of Fish Catch- Freshwater Species MFRD: Goh Kian Heng Yeap Soon Eong DOF, Cambodia: Thor Sensereivorth Bun Racy MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH DEPARTMENT SOUTHEAST ASIAN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT CENTER DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, CAMBODIA SOUTHEAST ASIAN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT CENTER The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) is a technical organization devoted to the accelerated development of fisheries in the region. The member countries of SEAFDEC are Japan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. SEAFDEC has four departments, namely, the Marine Fisheries Research Department (MFRD) in Singapore, the Training Department (TD) in Thailand, the Aquaculture Department (AQD) in Philippines and the Marine Fishery Resources Development and Management Department (MFRDMD) in Malaysia. Marine Fisheries Research Department Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center 2 Perahu Road Singapore 718915 Copyright @ 2005. Marine Fisheries Research Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 981-05-4716-1 Table of Contents Introduction........................................ ii Freshwater fish species utilized........... 1 Products • Fish bah kwa...................................6 • Fish siew mai.................................. 12 • Fish tofu......................................... 19 • Fish cracker.................................... 25 • Fish murukku.................................. 31 • Fish satay.......................................36 Appendix............................................. 41 (Method References for Shelf Life Study) ii Freshwater Species Mekong and TonIe Sap Great Lake. The freshwater fisheries in Cambodia play a more important role than marine fisheries sector contributing about 90% of the total Introduction fish production. The freshwater fisheries cover about one third of the country area. Most of the Cambodian people live close to water bodies and their livelihoods is largely dependent on these water bodies. Freshwater fisheries in Cambodia The recent and most reliable freshwater Cambodia’s extensive river system fisheries statistics in Cambodia is from covers 2.7% of total surface area the collaborative MRC and Department and contains high mineral and of Fisheries (MRC/DOF) project. The nutrients. This has made Cambodia statistics has indicated the significant rank number four in inland fisheries contribution of the fisheries sector to productivity behind China, India the rural people economy and the social and Bangladesh. The coastal area requirements (Van Zalinge et al. 2000a). also has potential productivity. The The freshwater fisheries statistics is total freshwater, marine capture important for decision-making on the fisheries and aquaculture production options by government for the development is estimated at about 350,000 to of the country’s economy. 500,000 metric tonnes per year. This provides for 75% of the total animal The most comprehensive data and protein intake in people’s diets and information are from the MRC/DOF socio- represents a value of US$ 200 to economic and catch assessment surveys 300 million. As a result, the National of parts of the country (Ahmed et al. 1998, Institute of Statistics showed in 2001 Van Zalinge et al. 1999, 2000). that fisheries contribute 11.4% to gross domestic product. • Cambodia’s freshwater Capture fisheries production of over 400,000 Freshwater capture fisheries metric tonnes per year. contribute more to national food • Estimated value at landing site is around security and the economy than USD 200 millions. The estimated retail other fisheries do in the country. value is about USD 300 millions. The annual catch ranges between • Exports are underestimated, but exceed 290,000 to 430,000 metric tonnes, 50,000 metric tonnes/year (Van Zalinge which is the fourth largest in the et al. 2001). world. Cambodia’s freshwater • Countrywide fish consumption is fisheries have a rich bio-diversity of around 30-40 Kg/person per year. The species. Rainboth (1996) reported average per capita fish consumption in that approximately 500 species are central Cambodia is 67 Kg. present or likely to be encountered in, fisheries in the Cambodian iii Introduction Table 1: Cambodia’s Total Annual Freshwater Fish Catch (Metric Tonnes, MT) Years Large Scale Small Scale Rice field Total Production (MT) (MT) (MT) (MT) 2000 85,600 115,000 45,000 245,600 2001 135,000 140,000 110,000 385,000 2002 110,300 140,000 110,000 360,300 2003 94,750 120,000 94,000 308,750 2004 68,100 106,000 75,500 249,600 Source: DOF (2000-2004) Freshwater fish utilization in Cambodia the major ethnic group in the country, prefer freshwater fish in live or very The role of freshwater fish in food security fresh condition. They use fermented is under represented in Cambodian policy fish paste (prahok) as a high protein with greater emphasis being placed on the flavor ingredient, fish sauce as a way role of rice. Whilst rice forms the basis of to salt and flavour food, and sun-dried the Cambodian diet, it would also be fair to salted fish and smoked fish are other say that fish is included in virtually every commonly eaten forms of preserved Cambodians’ meal. Soups are commonly fish. consumed with fish sauce and vegetables are often eaten with fermented fish paste SEAFDEC Special 5-Year Project on (prahok). Freshwater fish is the preferred Maximizing Utilization of Fish Catch- fish for the majority of Cambodians (DOF, Freshwater Species 200Id). In 2004-2005, under the Southeast Traditionally, rural people would use their Asian Fisheries Centre (SEAFDEC), free time while cultivating rice, to travel to Special 5-Year Programme on fishing regions, where they could capture Maximization of the Fish Utilization, the or buy fish at a lower price for their Marine Fisheries Research Department consumption. Processed and fermented (MFRD) Singapore, in collaboration fish products provided the rural and with the Department of Fisheries (DOF), remote communities as a form of food fish, Cambodia, conducted a project on the as supply of fresh fish was very limited. development of value-added products from freshwater fish. Contrary to anecdotal claims that ethnic Cambodian are fermented fish eaters, Initially, four freshwater fish species Csavas (1991) FAO expert, noted that were identified to be utilized for the Cambodians preferred fresh fish to project. However, the project focused processed and fermented products, e.g. on three freshwater fish species for prahok and pha-ork. In reality, Cambodians, utilization. The three freshwater fish especially those of Cambodian origin, species are namely; featherback fish iv Freshwater Species (Notopterus spp.), snakehead fish References (Channa spp.) and soldier river barbs (Cyclocheilichthys enoplus). • Ahmed, M., N. Hap, V. Ly, and M. Tiongco 1998. Socioeconomic Assessment For the featherback fish, four value- of Freshwater Capture Fisheries of added products were developed from Cambodia. Report on household frozen fish mince. The four products survey. Mekong River Commission were namely; fish bah kwa, fish cracker, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. fish siew mai and fish tofu. For the snakehead fish, the same four products • Cambodia Post-Harvest Fisheries were developed from frozen fillets that Overview, 2005. were minced up. For the soldier river barbs, two value-added products were • Rainboth, W. J., 1996. Fishes of the developed. The frozen mince was used Cambodian Mekong. to make fish murukku and the headed fish (whole) was used to make fish • T. S. Tana, 2001. The Inland and Marine satay. Fisheries Trade of Cambodia. Shelf-life studies were conducted for • Van Zalinge N., Nao Thuok and Sam all products developed for this project. Nuov. 2001. Status of the Cambodian The aim of the shelf-life studies is to Inland Capture fisheries Sector with observe the stability of the products special Reference to the TonIe Sap in terms of microbiological, chemical Great Lake. Inland Fisheries Research and sensory attributes over the storage and Development Institute, Phnom period. The data obtained will be useful Penh, Cambodia. Technical paper to processors who are interested in series, volume III. developing the products. • Van Zalinge, N., Nao Thuok, and Lieng Sopha, (Eds), 2000. Management aspects of Cambodia’s freshwater capture fisheries, Phnom Penh, 27- 28 January 2000. Mekong River commission Secretariat and Department of Fisheries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Freshwater f ish species utilized 1. Notopterus notopterus 2. Channa striata 3. Cyclocheilichthys enoplus 2 Freshwater Species Featherback fish (Notopterus notopterus) Family: Notopteridae ( Featherback or knifefishes) Order: Osteoglossiformes (bony tongues) Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Local name: Trey slat Country of origin: Cambodia Max. size: Up to 60 cm Importance: Commercial fisheries Biology: Found in freshwaters of south and southeastern Asia. Occurs in standing and sluggish waters of lake, floodplains, canals, and ponds. Feeds on insect, fish, crustaceans and some young roots of aquatic plants, it is most active during the twilight and at night. Colonizes and breeds in seasonally inundated areas during rainy season and migrates back to permanent water in the