Auleria Wakudumo

The government is moving to clamp down on rising bycatch levels in Namibia’s fishing industry after revelations that the country may have lost millions of dollars through the landing of regulated fish species under the guise of bycatch.

The latest development was revealed by fisheries spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, noting that Cabinet has now approved stricter measures aimed at reducing bycatch and protecting Namibia’s marine resources, including publicly naming repeat offenders and increasing levies charged on bycatch landings from 15% to 50% of the landed value.

The measures were prompted by alarming data recorded between 2020 and 2025, which shows a sharp increase in bycatch volumes involving regulated species such as hake, horse mackerel, chub mackerel and pilchard.

“It becomes difficult to regulate bycatches because they are licensed; it does not involve illegal fishing or stealing fish from Namibian waters, but rather unintentionally catching other species while operating legally at sea,” he explained. 

Muyunda said the increase in bycatch is threatening marine biodiversity and the sustainability of key fish stocks.

“If not managed, bycatch can result in total landings exceeding Total Allowable Catches (TACs), ultimately leading to overfishing. In the long term, this may cause the collapse of fish stocks,” he said.

Recent reports indicated that Namibia may have lost about N$157.5 million in 2025 through illegal hake bycatch landed by commercial horse mackerel freezer trawlers. The ministry provided statistics showing that hake bycatch in the horse mackerel fishery increased from 3 203 tonnes involving 16 vessels in 2020 to 17500 tonnes involving 15 vessels in 2025.

In 2021, hake bycatch stood at 4 230 tonnes before increasing to 7 986 tonnes in 2022. It increased to 14 520 tonnes in 2023 and 15 785 tonnes in 2024.

Meanwhile, in 2020 the ministry recorded 4 205 tonnes of mackerel bycatch involving 16 vessels. The amount reduced to 4 034 tonnes in 2021 before increasing to 10 228 tonnes in 2022.

In 2023, mackerel bycatch reached 20 875 tonnes before increasing to more than 24 000 tonnes in 2024, and in 2025, the figure dropped to 16 283 tonnes.

Statistics released by the ministry further indicate that pilchard bycatch alone surged from 608 tonnes in 2020 to over 11 000 tonnes in both 2024 and 2025, despite pilchard remaining under a moratorium.

Muyunda said the increasing trend in bycatch could indicate that target species are becoming scarce, that companies are deliberately landing bycatch for economic gain, or that existing penalties are no longer sufficient to deter offenders. “A major concern is that high bycatch levels are largely associated with the same companies, operators and vessel owners,” he said.

Muyunda added that Cabinet approved measures that include the annual publication of repeat offenders’ names and the withholding of fishing licences in terms of Section 40(4) of the Marine Resources Act.

Section 40(4) empowers the minister to refuse the issuance of fishing licences if doing so would be contrary to the proper management of marine resources, while Section 41 allows for the cancellation of licences where necessary.

He said the ministry is currently finalising the gazetting of the new 50% levy on bycatch landings.

Namibia already employs several monitoring mechanisms to control bycatch. These include fisheries observers deployed at sea, fisheries inspectors stationed at landing sites, vessel logbooks and mandatory monthly catch returns submitted by captains.

The ministry also enforces seasonal closures and area restrictions, including prohibiting trawling within the 200-metre isobath to protect spawning grounds and sensitive marine habitats.

In addition, the government promotes the use of selective fishing gear to minimise unintended catches and continues investing in scientific research to strengthen ecosystem-based fisheries management.

“Bycatch does not require police or law enforcement involvement, as it is not considered an illegal activity. Instead, the government should be in a position to claim value from the bycatch landed,” he explained. –awakudumo@nepc.com.na