Independent Technical Review: NT2 Reservoir Fisheries Plan

By: 
Eric Theiss, Fisheries Biologist, Sustainable Environment Foundation
Date: 
Tuesday, February 1, 2005

IRN and Environmental Defense commissioned an independent review of the Nam Theun 2 reservoir fisheries predictions in the Social Development Plan (SDP) and the Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (EAMP). A reservoir fishery is one of the primary mitigation features for approximately 6,200 people which currently utilize the area to be flooded by the Nam Theun 2 reservoir.

The review found that the years immediately after filling are not modeled, and the reservoir will likely be predominantly anoxic during this period. At best, a relatively simple ecosystem will develop in the long-term with a small number of species present. At worst, the reservoir will become largely devoid of life, except for invasive aquatic weeds and small islands of survivor fish species near the tributary mouths.