SANCOR Newsletter Issue #171: September 2002

 

SA COMES TO THE AID OF NAMIBIAN FISHERMEN

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism today announced that Namibia would be granted limited access to South Africa's pelagic fish stocks (anchovy and pilchard). The Deputy Director-General of Marine and Coastal Management, Mr. Horst Kleinschmidt, explained that South Africa was only able to come to the assistance of Namibia because South Africa's pelagic fish stocks were currently at an unprecedented high level and South African rights holders would not be able to catch and process the available fish before the end of the year.

 

"Effectively, we are only making the surplus available to Namibia", explained Kleinschmidt. Earlier this month the department announced an increase of more than 80 percent in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of pelagic fish.This assistance follows an urgent request from the Namibian Minister of Fisheries, the Honourable Minister Iyambo, following the dramatic decline and almost total disappearance of the Namibian pilchard stock. Scientists from the Department's Marine & Coastal Management attribute this collapse to biological conditions. Namibia has been facing a looming crisis in its fishing industry, and major retrenchments in the fishing industry would have been inevitable.

 

Namibia will be able to purchase pelagic fish at the full commercial value from South African fishing rights holders, and will also be allowed to catch the fish using Namibian vessels in South African waters. This access will only be until the end of the year, will be subject to strict conditions, and will be closely monitored. South Africa's fish resources are carefully managed to ensure growth and sustainable exploitation. Kleinschmidt explained that there could be dramatic fluctuations in the levels of pelagic fish stocks. "The limited access granted to Namibia will not negatively affect South African pelagic rights holders, as it is unlikely that the current high level of TAC can be sustained and will in all likelihood be reduced next year to a level where South African rights holders will be able to catch and process their quotas".

 

He said that this assistance to Namibia was made in the spirit of "ubuntu" and the African Renaissance, adding "this is an example of how the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) promotes innovative partnerships for the development of the African continent and forms the basis for a sustainable development programme for Africa".

Issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

Contact: Horst Kleinschmidt