Windhoek
Cabinet last week reiterated that it will oppose any call to ban or restrict Namibia and directed the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) to actively campaign against any attempt to ban or restrict hunting and the export of wildlife products from Namibia.
Following the decision the Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management Support Organizations said it supports decisions of the government in respect of hunting and trophies derived from it.
In a media statement, Maxi Louis the director of the association and Steve Felton of its communications desk said Cabinet took note that a code of conduct for conservation hunting is being developed and supported the efforts of the MET to develop and intensify measures aimed at stopping wildlife crime.
“NACSO and its members, which include Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) and the Namibia Development Trust (NDT), works together with Namibian communal conservancies to promote the development of rural communities based upon the principles of sustainable wildlife utilization. These include the conservation of wildlife for photographic tourism as well as conservation hunting of selected animals,” stated Louis.
The association through its Natural Resources Working Group took note that without hunting, conservation would be brought to a close in many communal conser-vancies which do not have tourism potential and which depend for their income on the hunting of selected animals for trophies.
“Conservancy income is used to pay game guards who conduct anti-poaching patrols, and to provide benefits to conservancy members, thus uplifting living standards in poorer rural communities,” the statement says.
In supporting the cabinet decision, the association notes that animals are selected for hunting based upon quotas set by the MET, which are agreed following extensive annual game counts and that wildlife numbers have risen in Namibia as a result of community-based conservation.
“A ban on the importation of trophies to the USA and EU countries would result in a radical decline of hunters visiting Namibia, with a comparable decline in income to conservancies and their members, which in turn will likely lead to an increase in wildlife crime.”
The association fully supports the sustainable use of wildlife under legally enforced and controlled conditions, and wished to bring to the attention of the international community that most conservancy committees with which it works, as well as ordinary conservancy members, are strongly against any ban on conservation hunting.