From Staple Food to Scarce Resource: The Population Status of an Endangered Striped Catfish Pangasianodon hypothalamus in the Mekong River, Cambodia

Striped catfish Pangasianodon hypopthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) is a flagship species of the Mekong River region, commercially valuable food fish that important in freshwater fisheries, and popular aquaculture many Asian countries. The was assessed as “Endangered” by International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN) due to range contraction declining abundance, though status species’ wild population Cambodia, critical habitat species, not well understood. Here, we assess striped Cambodia using multiple sources, including time-series catch data length frequency distribution from commercial fishery (stationary trawl bagnet or dai) operated Tonle Sap 1998/99 2017/18 larval drift monitored Phnom Penh 2004 2018. We found there significant decline (R2 = 0.54, p 0.0002) (metric tonnes) dai over last two decades. Similarly, length-based indicator analysis indicates mean abundance have both declined study period, raising concerns about sustainability river fisheries. Moreover, long-term monitoring shows marginally quantity larvae/juvenile drifting downstream lower floodplain decade. Changes flood index (extent duration flood) affected Mekong’s flow are likely key factors driving populations catfish. Both harvests positive relationship with extent. Indiscriminate fishing exacerbates pressures on stocks. Therefore, actions such maintaining natural seasonal flows (flood timing, extent, duration) protecting migratory stocks overharvest fragmentation essential persistence other large-bodied fishes utilize Cambodian floodplains.