Hake quota cut by 13% to 116 000 tonnes

CHAMWE KAIRA

The government has reduced its hake Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the 2026/2027 fishing season by 17 000 tonnes to 116 000 tonnes, a 13% decline from the previous allocation of 133 000 tonnes, following declining fish stocks.

The ministry of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform said the reduction was necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of Namibia’s marine resources through a precautionary approach to fisheries management.

The Rock Lobster TAC, meanwhile, remains unchanged at 180 tonnes.

The ministry said it would consult stakeholders on the government’s long-term objective of achieving 100% wet fish allocation as part of efforts to increase onshore value addition, employment creation and economic benefits from the fishing industry.

The policy direction is intended to encourage increased fish landings in Namibia, expand shore-based processing activities, stimulate investment in local processing capacity and create more employment opportunities across the fisheries value chain.

The ministry also clarified that fishing right holders whose rights expire during the 2026/2027 fishing season will receive prorated quota allocations based on the remaining validity periods of their rights.

Any balance of their potential allocations will not be released automatically and will depend on the outcome of the ongoing fishing rights evaluation process.

A significant number of fishing rights are scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026 and 31 May 2027.

The ministry said progress had been made in evaluating the affected fishing rights and expected the process to be completed, with outcomes communicated to the respective right holders, before their rights expire.

It appealed to the fishing industry to exercise patience while the government manages declining fish stocks and ensures that quota allocations remain transparent, fair and consistent with the applicable legal framework.

The ministry has also urged fishing companies to increase fish supplies to the domestic market amid the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak and its potential impact on the availability of meat products.

It said fish remained an important and nutritious alternative source of animal protein, particularly when supplies of other protein sources were constrained.

In June, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah met with the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (CNFA) to discuss the sustainability, challenges and economic contribution of Namibia’s fishing sector.

During the meeting, Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the fishing industry, underscoring its vital role in job creation, food security and foreign exchange earnings.

During that meeting, CNFA Chairperson, Matti Amukwa shared suggestions on how the current situation could be improved, particularly in light of declining fish stocks and the need to safeguard the future of the industry.

In September at the National Fisheries Indaba, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the government would rigorously assess performance and compliance when allocating fishing quotas, ensuring that access to the country’s marine resources rewards those who demonstrate meaningful contribution to Namibia’s development.