17, January 2025
Two villages, ππ¨π‘ πππ‘ πππ and ππ²π πππ‘ πππ, in Dwelo township, Mutraw district, Salween Peace Park, established a fish conservation area in the river near their villages to sustain the fish population and protect the biodiversity and livelihoods of current and future generations. generations. Established on 12 January 2025, the area is divided into two sections: one that allows fishing every three years and another where fishing is permanently prohibited to protect a delicate ecosystem.Β
Setting up fish conservation areas near Karen villages is a traditional practice that the Indigenous Karen people have passed down for generations. Unfortunately, since 1997, when the Burmese military launched a large military offensive against the Karen people throughout Kawthoolei, their homeland in Burma, the Karen people have been compelled to abandon their homes and seek refuge in various locations for their safety. This has led to the depletion of fish conservation practices since the communities have to focus on survival. Nevertheless, Karen villages are still committed to maintaining this practice.
In 2001, after its establishment, KESAN began raising environmental awareness in seven districts of Kawthoolei to highlight the importance of conservation initiatives driven by Karen communities during the conflict, along with livelihood development projects to support the people and reduce environmental burdens. KESAN has implemented different conservation projects to steward biodiversity in conflict-affected areas. This included both the introduction of new conservation initiatives and the strengthening of communities’ existing practices like fish conservation practice. Furthermore, KESAN also conducted advocacy campaigns against harmful development projects that could jeopardise people’s livelihoods and the local ecosystems in Kawthoolei, alongside promoting good environmental policies.









Nowadays, more and more villages in Kawthoolei come forward and are involved in the conservation work, which includes fish conservation. When villagers observe a rise in the fish population in a neighbouring village, they are motivated to try the same initiatives. This is a positive driver boosting conservation. Today, around 60 fish conservation areas are in the Salween Peace Park alone. Some fish conservation areas are standalone, while others are protected as part of larger conservation initiatives, such as community forests and customary ‘Kaw’ land territory. Certain fish conservation zones are permanent, whereas others open for fishing every three or seven years, depending on community rules and the current state of the ecosystem. The developed approach to zoning fish conservation areas allows sufficient time for fish to increase their population in the river.