Trade-off analysis and mitigation strategies for fisheries and aquatic ecosystem services affected by water development infrastructure

This activity addresses one of the key development challenges in the Mekong region and other trans-boundary river systems around the world; the need for optimizing water infrastructure development and its management for multiple users, including hydropower, irrigation, and fisheries, for more equitable benefit sharing among stakeholders and for resilient aquatic ecosystems. The main project objective is to articulate the trade-offs between water development priorities and aquatic ecosystem services in the Mekong river system, and to explore options for mitigating negative impacts on local communities that depend on the ecosystem services, through innovative technologies as well as water governance approaches. A number of thematic research activities will be conducted to improve the understanding of the linkages between water quantity and quality, aquatic ecosystem goods and services, and local livelihoods and food security in the region, that would enable the analysis of trade-offs among sectoral water users and stakeholders. The priority activities for 2015 are: • Develop and submit a journal article on the livelihood adaptation of communities affected by hydropower resetlement in Lao PDR (building on CPWF MK2) • Conduct analysis of the Nam Gnouang reservoir fisheries and its management regime and provide recommendations to the Theum-Himboun Hydropower Company jointly with IWMI (building on CPWF MK1 and 2) • Documenting an outcome story from our work in providing technical support and information to the local government and international donor communities on the design and implementation of hydropower development and resettlement processes in Cambodia to promote social and environmental sustainability (building on CPWF MK1, 2, 3 findings) The findings will be used to derive policy and management recommendations on alternative water management, technology, and governance options to reduce adverse consequences across the water-energy-food nexus.