Namibia is losing about 1.5 billion Namibian dollars (N$) each year due to the scale of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing along its coastline, according to The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations’ (CNFA) latest estimate.
The country’s Fisheries Minister, Derek Klazen, said the plundering of Namibia's resources continues unabated, with neighbouring countries also implicated in illicit activities both inland and at sea.
In an address to fishing industry stakeholders in Walvis Bay this week, Klazen highlighted the persistent challenges posed by both coastal and inland illegal activities, which represent a major headache for the government.
Illegal fishing overall is a costly exercise, as it not only robs the country of revenue but also impacts the sustainable management systems in place for the harvesting and safeguarding of natural resources, he said.
Expressing his deep concern about the involvement of citizens from neighbouring countries in illegal fishing, Klazen said plans are currently underway to engage with counterparts to harmonise laws and enforcement measures.
"We have received alarming reports of an increase in incidents linked to or potentially linked to IUU at our northern coastal border," Klazen stated.
To counter this, the ministry has decided to allocate up to 50% of its control, monitoring, and surveillance sea operations to the northern border with Angola.
According to Klazen, the ministry will continue to deploy all resources at its disposal to deter any fishing practices that compromise the sustainability of Namibia’s aquatic living resources and the viability of its fishing sector, all in a bid to combat IUU fishing within Namibia's jurisdiction.
The CNFA reported that six or seven foreign trawlers, allegedly operating under licence in Angolan waters, harvest over 100 000 tonnes of fish in Namibia's northern waters each year.
CNFA chairperson Matti Amukwa has called for urgent intervention to halt illegal fishing in Namibian waters.
He emphasised the need to take immediate action against well-known IUU vessels, stressing that reliance on other countries' governments is insufficient to stop the pilferage of Namibia's resources.
