KATIMA MULILO – The Presidential Affairs Minister Dr Albert Kawana has expressed concern over the widespread plunder of fresh-water fish in the Zambezi Region by foreign fishermen.
Statitistics availed to New Era by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources indicate that between 300 and 400 illegal fishermen were deported last year during joint operations involving fisheries inspectors and law enforcement agencies in Zambezi. But the problem seems to persist. Early this year 171 illegal fishermen were also detained and deported.
And given the gravity of this problem some critics fear the fish resources particularly in Lake Liambezi may soon become depleted as has been the case in some lakes and rivers in other countries.
Kawana who is greatly in favour of a fish processing plant being set up in Zambezi to formalise the informal fish market, noted the plunderers are in violation of Namibia’s sovereignty and deprive local fishermen of a livelihood.
He made these remarks during the official opening of the Zambezi Bream Festival and Cultural Expo that was held last week.
“It’s totally unacceptable that people come from far and exploit our resources without permits. They camp at Lake Liambezi for months and take our fish to other countries. Our laws should be observed. We need to restore law and order. Those foreigners camped there should be arrested immediately because they are contravening our laws,” lamented Kawana.
He emphasised the urgent need to set up a fish processing plant in Zambezi to formalise the marketing and selling of fish.
“Zambezi is the only region surrounded by perennial rivers. I want to see that by next year we have a fish processing plant in Katima Mulilo. This product must find a market in hotels and restaurants. We want to see this industry creating jobs for our people particularly women,” implored the minister.
Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu echoed similar sentiments on the fish plunder by foreign fishermen, adding that it’s often foreigners benefiting from the resource at the expense of locals.
“We must conserve our fish resources. It is foreigners benefiting from this resource. They come here and pay our indunas and take bundles of fish to Kasumbalesa and leave our people with nothing,” said the governor.
The abundant fish resources found in Zambezi particularly at Lake Liambezi, an inland lake about 60 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo, have attracted foreign fishermen from countries such as Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who normally enter Namibia under the pretext of visiting, only to engage in illegal fishing.
This trend is exacerbated by the lack of proper control and a formalised market for freshwater fish in the region.
Locals are also allegedly offered large sums of money by foreign fishermen to keep quiet about their illicit activities.
Truckloads of fish destined for Kasumbalesa, a lucrative fish market in the DRC, are often seen leaving Zambezi en route to the DRC.
Several joint operations involving the relevant authorities have been conducted before but the plunder of the resource persists.
By George Sanzila