Industry Review in This Issue: Us
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THE NEWSLETTER OF THE MINISTRY OF FISHERIES AND MARINE RESOURCES Number 1. January-June 2004 Industry Review In this issue: us. This issue of the Newsletter covers events from January to June 2004. It is the Ministry’s WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE………………1 intention to publish the further editions of the NEWS FROM THE MINISTRY ........................... 1 Newsletter every quarter onwards. MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR......................... .3 NEWS FROM THE MINISTRY INLAND FISHERIES SECTOR……………………5 AQUACULTURE SECTOR……..…………………5 MONITORING, CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES……………………7 REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL…………….8 NEWS FROM THE INDUSTRY.......................... 9 WELCOME BY MS. NANGULA MBAKO: The Hon. Minister, Dr. A. Iyambo, of the Ministry of Fisheries PERMANENT SECRETARY and Marine Resources. Namibia’s fishing industry is known for its world- class capability in handling, distributing and Minister Gives Annual Address marketing of fish and fish products. Therefore the In the face of hardship the fisheries sector is introduction of the Newsletter of the Ministry is to experiencing, the preliminary indications for welcome, the fishing industry at large and all the sector has at least contributed over N$3 stakeholders to enable them to share news, information and other newsworthy developments billion to export revenue, said the Minister for in and around the Namibian fisheries, and also to Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr. keep you informed about the regional and Abraham Iyambo, in his annual speech when international fisheries matters. The newsletter will he addressed the fishing industry, trade serve as a medium of communication and unions and the media at the end of January. dissemination of information to all stakeholders. In He said that 2003 was a difficult year for this brief note, the Ministry shares what the commercial fishing sector, attributing these Government of Namibia has been able to achieve hardships to the strength of the Namibia dollar, to create an enabling environment to prospective flat market prices and high operational costs investors and fisheries players alike in the Marine, resulting in reduced margins in real times. Inland and Aquaculture business, whether your interest lies in the culture of fresh water or marine The industry together with the Ministry should species. We are keen to welcome short articles harness those hard times and turn it into its from the industry on your activities and other own advantage, he commented. The events of interests that you may wish to share with MFMR NEWSLETTER JANUARY-JUNE 2004 1 industry, when times are hard should look at well as measures to limit the by-catch of its structure and function; identify problems seabirds. and possible strategic actions. He queried Further to that the revision of the policy paper how exactly have the exchange rate was necessary to reflect Namibia’s increasing fluctuation affected the industry; what could role as a developing coastal state in national be the possible impact on employment; what policy for the marine resources sector. options are there to reduce operational and fleet maintenance cost and might some Revised Strategic Plan for the Ministry companies still do more to add value to their products to maximise margins. Minister A new five –year (2004-2008) Strategic Plan Iyambo urged the industry, therefore to take a has been put in place to guide the Ministry’ hard look and support their actions with work and set standards of performance tangible and verifiable facts and figures. expected by the Ministry’s stakeholders and clients. The revision of the Plan was The financial institutions also came under necessitated by new developments that are spotlight when the Minister called upon the unfolding in the Ministry’s strategic lending institutions also to take a long-term environment that affects the way the MFMR view of the sector, adding that spontaneous pursues its mission and the Plan make reactions in times of trouble do not lay provisions for incorporating these changes. It foundation for a sustained future. He is with this intend that the Ministry, at the end appealed that all, including industry and the of 2003 held a workshop to review the lending institutions must work towards holistic Ministry’s Strategic Plan that covered the and long-term view, as understanding of one period 1999-2003. The revised Plan contains another’s needs and building stability in the the mechanism to ensure it proper review and sector is the key to the success. evaluation of the performance of the objectives and strategies will guide the MFMR staff on how to improve the efficiency and Update on 1991 Policy Paper effectiveness of the services they provide. The revision process of the Namibia’s marine • In the meanwhile, the stakeholders, clients fisheries policy white paper “Towards and the community at large are guided by the Responsible Fisheries” of 1991 has been Customer Charter, which sets out the completed through wider stakeholder standards of services they can expect from consultation process including the fishing our staff members and the central element industry. Next the Policy will now be subject against which the stakeholders it serves can to Government’s approval process and would measure the work of the Ministry. be made public thereafter. The purpose of the revision was to align the Human Resources Development policy paper with the recent developments in the marine fisheries sector. These include international framework, such as Namibia’s Fifty-four staff members are currently involvement in international and regional undergoing skills and career development at fisheries management organisations. various levels through full-time, part-time and/or distance studies. Twenty-eight of the The revision was particularly necessary to said staff members are studying full time at harmonise policy with the issues addressed in various Universities, Technikons and other the current Marine Resources Act (2000). educational Institutions locally and abroad. Developed one year after the policy, the Act had been revised and came into effect in The remaining twenty-six staff members are August 2002. It now encompasses wide pursuing their under- and postgraduate range of management plans for various studies on distance mode at various species, including the cape fur seals and Universities, Technikons and other shark management plans in line with the FAO educational Institutions. guideline and management plans for To date Ministry has trained 201 inspectors protection of seabirds breeding colonies as and observers through Fisheries Inspectors MFMR NEWSLETTER JANUARY-JUNE 2004 2 and Observer Course (FIOC) program since . its inception. The 9 months programme conducted at Nambian Maritime and Fisheries Institute (NAMFI) is aimed at upgrading skills and knowledge of the inspectors and observers. A current intake of 25 inspectors and observers would graduate at the end of June 2004. The Cadets training also at NAMFI are conducted for different categories. Group 7 caters for 34 deck officers (Deck officer and Fisheries Research vessel: used for collecting Biological and Engineering class 6), Group 8 recently Scientific data concluded induction program on safety and On the hake stocks, the Minister said that survival at sea of 24 trainees. While Group 9, high levels of juvenile catches continued to be the current intake of 30 Deck Officers is at experienced in the catch. This is a great see to acquire sea time. at NAMFI Which concern, even though all hake trawlers should another six Deck officers enrolled for class 1 / have completed installation of selectivity 2 management level, set by the International devices in their nets by December last year. Convention on Standards on Training, Hon. Minister also noted that some trawlers Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers have already installed selectivity devices on (1995STCW’95). board, but do not use them. The Ministry recently embarked on a He appealed to the hake sector not to dodge preliminary Training Needs Assessment, compliance in the use of the selectivity which would direct and enhance its future devices, noting that the hake right holders will training activities. Induction training to equip eventually see the value of devices in terms the new staff members to Government rules of health of the stocks. and procedures is also currently underway. These induction courses are conducted from Evaluation of Fishing rights time to time as new staff members join the Ministry. Many joint venture arrangements between the We continued to train staff members at all new and established fishing companies levels and in various fields throughout 2003. continue to work well, this was revealed when Training included short courses, workshops, consideration of motivations for the extension symposiums and in-service training. Bursaries of rights were reviewed during the course of were also granted to staff members to 2003. improve their level of academic qualifications The aim of the evaluation was also to on under-graduate and postgraduate level. determine the degree to which commitments made in original right-holders’ applications MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR have been met, and to assess the degree to which these companies have utilised their Fisheries Research News rights and quotas. The review exercise has The preliminary TAC for pilchard of 20 000 further assisted the Ministry to assess how tonnes has been declared for 2004 fishing well the current empowerment and season. This decision was based on the Namibianisation