The fishing industry in Namibia does not approve of the decision to auction off the country’s fishing quotas on an open market.
The auction is aimed at raising funds for the fight against Covid-19.
Chairman of the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations Matti Amukwa in a statement said the government should have prioritised the current needs of local operators – particularly land-based factories that sustain thousands of jobs.
The auctioning modalities and conditions should be adequately thought through and some consensus reached with all relevant stakeholders to maximise government income, he said.
Amukwa has warned against attracting unfair competitors and illegal fishing vessels in Namibian waters.
The government intends to auction off 72 000 tonnes of horse mackerel, and 11 000 tonnes of hake of which 40% is reserved for companies operating in Namibia.
The rest will be sold to the highest bidder.
The determined total allowable catch of 392 tonnes of monk will not be reserved for local companies and will all be sold to the highest bidder.
Amukwa said the auctioning off of hake quotas will not sustain land-based jobs.
2015 The Namibian