Through murky waters: Cambodian reef communities
surveys 2021-2023; publication 2026
Each reef was visited once during 2021–2023. Comparisons are between surveyed sites, not repeated measurements of change at each reef.
CAMBODIA MARINE RESEARCH
Coral reefs research
Research on coral reefs in Cambodia’s coastal and marine environment. Sources may describe the same campaign; they are not counted as independent studies.
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Research and findings
Gorra et al.: paired Kep fish/bivalve and meiofauna studies
Fieldwork 2023-01-20 to 2023-02-24; papers 2025
Fourteen stations are listed; two were excluded from fish surveys. The paired papers describe the same field campaign.
Kep and Kampot marine habitats: MCC / FAO CAPFISH technical report
2023 report; some surveys may also appear in related publications.
The report describes 5,826 survey points across Kep and Kampot, covering seagrass, coral, seaweed and shellfish beds.
Kep coral reef and seagrass status assessment
Reefs 2014/15 and 2017; seagrass 2018; published 2019
Reefs at three Kep islands were surveyed in 2014/15 and 2017; seagrass was surveyed separately in 2018. The paper reports increased fish density and diversity in the surveyed reefs.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch
v3.1 daily series from 1985
These are approximately 5 km satellite-product cells, not coral surveys. Heat exposure does not establish observed bleaching.
OBIS Cambodia
Public archive includes 2024-2026 observations; latest supplied event date 2026-07-18
Each archive record supports a dated reported occurrence or non-detection, subject to provider quality flags. It does not measure a population or establish habitat extent.
Pavona coral spawning in the Gulf of Thailand
publication 2026
The Cambodian subset documents daytime spawning of Pavona corals and observation periods without spawning. Dates and local times are readable under each island.
Reported coral spawning events in March 2026
7–9 March 2026; announcement 16 March 2026
The account reports spawning observations during 7–9 March 2026 around Koh Rong/Song Saa and Koh Sdach.
FiA: Seagrass and Coral Reef distribution and monitoring in Cambodia
Coral surveys June 2021-December 2022; seagrass December 2021-December 2022; report 2023
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
2025 Cambodian island marine biodiversity research mission
Mission reported 2025-04-24
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Allen Coral Atlas
layer-specific
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Cambodian coastal fish eDNA study
Supplement Table 1: 7 April–3 May 2022 sampling; article online 2024, volume 2025
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Coral Cay Conservation reef baseline, 2010–2011
February 2010–February 2011; published 2011
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Kampot marine biodiversity baseline survey, 2019
November 2019 fieldwork; report September 2020
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Marine Conservation Cambodia research archive
multiple years, including historical surveys
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
PEMSEA National State of Oceans and Coasts: Cambodia
Report labelled 2018; copyright December 2019; underlying sources mixed
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Strong et al.: Kep marine habitat and anti-trawl structure mapping
Online 2022; journal issue 2023; field dates need confirmation
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Zoning Cambodia’s first Marine Fisheries Management Area, 2014
2010–2012 ecological inputs; published 2014
Source reference available; findings have not yet been extracted.
Coverage and gaps
18 catalogue sources; 8 have partial findings summaries. Absence from the map does not establish absence of habitat, species or research.
Available mapped evidence: 91 sampling records, 30 species records, 11 DNA stations, 7 approximate study areas.
Additional report findings
- Social and natural resources mapping for Koh Rong Marine National Park
The 2023 tables report 57 ha of seagrass, 278.23 ha of coral reef and 203.58 ha of mangroves for Koh Rong; the corresponding Samloem entries are 0.66 ha, 288.66 ha and 19.39 ha.
- Assessing the influence of four years of Marine Protected Area status in the Koh Rong Marine National Park
The April 2019 expedition surveyed 20 Koh Rong monitoring sites and five outer-island sites.
More research and original maps
- Plastic waste on Cambodia’s islands, beaches and reefs
In the Koh Sdach waste sample, plastic made up 27% of household waste by weight. This came from 24 participating households over a 24-hour collection, not a national waste estimate.
- Koh Seh’s coral survey: field measurements from 2019
Although published in 2025, this study measured reefs in June–September 2019. It is a local historical baseline, not a 2025 reef-health survey.
- Koh Rong and Samloem habitat and village maps
Read seven map subjects in English or Khmer, with March 2023 imagery identified in the English legends.
- Coral and algae habitat from satellite mapping
Explore 873 selected patches, their origin and the limits of satellite classification.
Related reports
Tracing the reef evidence in Cambodia’s national assessment — see which documents share the same 2019 observations.