By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK Community members in some settlement areas in the southern part of the country have not been able to harvest fish from the ponds due to lack of knowledge. The Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Kilus Nguvauva, who recently returned from a three-day tour to the Karas, Hardap and Omaheke Regions, expressed concern about some fish farms where smaller fish have matured without being harvested. He says that, since April 2006, no fish have been harvested at Vasbyt, Berma or Graslaagte in the Steinhausen Constituency, nor at the Okozondje fish farm in the Epukiro Constituency of the Omaheke Region. He added that most communities lack knowledge on how to use fish nets and, generally, how to harvest fish. Although these farms were put up with the main purpose of providing food to communities especially those regarded as marginalized, there is still need to train the people on how to breed and harvest fish for their own consumption. “The fish were supposed to be harvested in December 2006 but, until now, none have been caught – they say they do not have nets,” said Nguvauva. The ministry will dispatch a team to these areas next month to provide training on fishing. Generally, fish farms in the Karas and Hardap Regions are not performing to the optimum condfitions and, according to Nguvauva, the ministry has to intervene in terms of sending experts to conduct training. Most ponds, he says, are small hence restricting the movement of fish and general growth. Last year in April, the ministry distributed 300 fingerlings of Tilapia in the South, but little progress has been made in ensuring that fish farming thrives in most areas. Nguvauva revealed that some fish ponds are so high that one can hardly see what is going on in the pond. He added that, although the aim of the ministry is to empower the communities to be self-sufficient in food-production and to derive income from natural resources, especially in rural areas, feasibility studies at most fish farms were not properly carried out. He stated: “If a feasibility study had been properly done, we would not have fish farms being flooded in places like Katima Mulilo and Kavango”. Two weeks ago the ministry sent consultants to the Omaheke Region to conduct a feasibility study and to review the fish-farming process in that area. He added that his ministry intended investigating the possibility of fish-farming in the Omaheke Region where there is great potential for such ventures. If fish-farming is feasible in this region, the deputy minister assured, the ministry together with the regional council and other stakeholders will facilitate the development of projects for the benefit of marginalized-affected communities. The aquaculture industry has been identified as one of the government’s priorities for Vision 2030, NDP2 and NDP3 currently under formulation. Another benefit from such projects, according to Nguvauva, is the creation of much-needed job opportunities. Aquaculture establishments exist in Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana and Otjozondjupa.