Chouly Ou: SHOAL US Conservation Coordinator

Chouly Ou has joined SHOAL as the SHOAL US Conservation Coordinator. She has a wealth of experience as an interdisciplinary conservation scientist and has worked in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the Lower Mekong River. At SHOAL and host partner Re:wild, she focuses on mobilising conservation actions, building coalitions, forging partnerships, raising awareness, and strengthening local capacity to drive collective efforts for freshwater fish conservation.

What’s your background?

Chouly: I am an interdisciplinary conservation scientist with expertise in freshwater fish ecology, community-based conservation, and capacity development. I have worked extensively in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the Lower Mekong River Basin, conducting research and leading conservation efforts. Throughout my career, I have held roles at the School for Field Studies-Cambodia programme, WWF-US, and BirdLife International, where I taught and researched freshwater fish ecology and conservation, managing grants, and developing local capacity.

Where do you live?

Chouly: I currently live in Virginia, United States of America, though I am originally from Cambodia.

What drew you to working with SHOAL?

Chouly: I was drawn to working with SHOAL because of its strong focus on conserving globally threatened freshwater fish species, a critical yet overlooked taxon. This role perfectly aligns with my passion and mission to make an impact on freshwater fish species and their ecosystems at the global level.

What excites you about freshwater species conservation?

Chouly: Growing up in Cambodia, where fish and freshwater ecosystems are integral to our lives and culture, I experienced firsthand the vital role of the rich diversity of fish species and their ecosystems, like the Tonle Sap Lake and Mekong River. Unfortunately, I also witnessed these fish and these systems’ increasing threats that often go unnoticed and lack the urgent attention they deserve. Seeing the incredible biodiversity and the growing threats facing them has motivated me to advocate for the conservation of freshwater species and their habitats.

A photograph of Maurice Kottelat sitting on a rock at the edge of a lake with another man, both of them are looking in buckets.

Fishers on the Tonlé Sap Lake, Cambodia.

What are you most looking forward to with this role?

Chouly: I am most looking forward to collaborating with communities, scientists, governments, NGOs, and private corporations to co-create long-term solutions for the recovery of the many globally threatened freshwater fish species and their ecosystems.

Do you have a favourite fish?

Chouly: It’s hard to choose, but I have a special connection to Schistura diminuta, the loach species I discovered during my Ph.D. research in Northeast Cambodia. It reminds me of how many species have yet to be discovered, yet they could become extinct before we get to know them if we do not work together to bring about conservation actions for freshwater fish species.

Chouly, a warm welcome to the team!