SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people, armed with traditional fishing gear such as woven bamboo traps and nylon nets, waded in thigh-deep muddy waters in a natural lake here on Sunday to catch fish in a fish-catching ceremony.
Held at a protected big lake in Bangkoang village in northwest Siem Reap province's Prasat Bakong district, the ceremony was held every year in February after the rice harvest season.
At the event, villagers netted freshwater snakefish, catfish and climbing perch fish among others, as some grilled the catch over a smoldering fire and ate by the lakeside.
Han Nhem, a 42-year-old farmer, said the ceremony was not only to perverse the ancient tradition of fish catching, but also to create a joyful atmosphere for locals and tourists.
"I have joined this event every year because it is the age-old tradition of our villagers here," he told Xinhua at the ceremony. "I've learned from old villagers that this ceremony has been celebrated at this ancient lake since our ancestors' time."
Nhem, who has taken part in the event since he was 14 years old, has observed that this traditional ceremony has gained its popularity from year to year, as more and more people have joined it.
Another villager Phal Han, 67, who has attended the ceremony for decades, said the event had brought participants and visitors back to the ancient scene of fish catching centuries ago.
"This ceremony is vital to show younger generations about our traditional techniques of catching fish," she told Xinhua.
Bangkoang village chief Pich Khin said participants were allowed to use traditional fishing gears such as woven bamboo traps and fishnets only to scoop up their catch.
"A lot of people have taken part in this year's ceremony, and it's estimated that at least two tons of fish were caught this time," he told reporters.
Most of the fish species at the lake are snakehead fish, catfish, and climbing perch fish, Khin added.
Prasat Bakong district governor So Platong said the ceremony has also helped attract more domestic and international tourists to Siem Reap province, which is home to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park.
"This annual festival is an opportunity to showcase our age-old art of catching fish to national and international tourists," he said at the event.
Platong said every year, fish fry have been released into the lake and fishing in the lake is restricted prior to the event in order to ensure an abundant catch for the ceremony.
Fish is a major source of protein for the population in the Southeast Asian country.
According to the ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, fish accounted for 76 percent of household protein intake in the kingdom, as the fisheries sector played a crucial role in ensuring food security and supporting about 2 million jobs nationwide.
It is calculated that a Cambodian eats an average of 52.4 kilograms of fish a year. ■
