Conservation needs of the dugong Dugong dugon in Cambodia and Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

This research was conducted to assess the location of population groups and conservation issues affecting dugong Dugong dugon along the eastern Gulf of Thailand off Cambodia and Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam. Interviews in fishing communities in 2002 and 2004 along the Cambodian coast revealed that dugongs are sporadically found in fishing nets and their body parts are sold for a relatively large profit. During 4 days of aerial surveys in Cambodia in 2004 we saw no dugongs. We interviewed villagers in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, in 2002 and learnt that dugongs are regularly found and hunted, again for high profits. In both countries we recommend that legislation addressing threatened species be strengthened and enforced. In collaboration with the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments and NGOs, we propose the exploration of alternative non- destructive fishing methods and the initiation of an education campaign based on conservation of marine wildlife and the nearshore environment. National and transboundary management and community-based con- servation are necessary in conjunction with strategies to address overfishing and poverty.