Obrein Simasiku
OMUTHIYA – The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernhard Esau, has strongly reiterated the call towards fishing rights holders to share fish products with the less fortunate members of the Namibian community.
“We have a deliberate policy to encourage more consumption of fish nationally. Indeed, we need the foreign exchange that comes with our fish exports, but we equally wish to encourage a culture of fish eating in Namibia. Because we need to have a health and well-nourished population, and also use local consumption to unlock enterprise development and the potential of our fish in communities,” stressed Esau, saying that, it is a constitutional right for every Namibian to benefit from the fish in the South Atlantic Ocean and inland rivers.
Esau made these remarks on Friday, during a handover of 10 metric tonnes of fish to Oshikoto Regional Governor Henock Kankoshi. The fish valued at N$170 000 to be distributed among 13 schools, was donated by Seaflower Group of Companies, which is owned by Fishcor a State-Owned Enterprise.
“This is an important component of corporate social responsibility in our fishing industry, which I am particularly keep to encourage. These policy objectives inform my directive to right holders to ensure that 30 percent of our horse mackerel fish is sold locally, so that our people may have access to fish and hence meet this important objective,” added Esau.