Tough, new restrictions - aimed at protecting fish stocks - were announced by Fishing Minister Abraham Iyambo in an address to the fishing industry at Walvis Bay yesterday.

He said that the TAC for hake will be set below 140 000 tonnes for the next two seasons and will only be revised if the average size of hake improves significantly.

This means at least 40 000 tonnes will be shaved from last season's 180 000 TAC.

As far too many small hake end up in catches and scientists reported no well-defined "hake nurseries", area closures will be introduced where consistently high proportions of small hake are reported, Iyambo said.

"If more than five per cent of hake caught is smaller than 36 centimetres, [the crew] must stop fishing and steam at least 10 nautical miles [away from the spot]," said Iyambo.

TRAWLING BAN TO STAY In addition, a two-month closed season will be introduced for September and October every year.

During these periods, said the Minister, the proportion of small hake is high and the Catch per Unit of Effort (CPUE) is low.

He also announced that the existing ban on trawling shallower than 200 metres will continue and that long-line catches will be reduced.

Based on the Ministry's policy of encouraging on-shore processing, which produces more jobs per tonne than at-sea processing, 70 per cent of the future hake TAC will be for wet fish and 30 per cent for frozen fish.

Certain areas will be designated to be wet-fish-only trawling grounds.

Precise locations are still to be determined.

The TAC for monk will not be increased from the current 11 500 tonne quota for the next two seasons, said Iyambo.

He said on average 20 per cent of the monk TAC is taken by hake trawlers as by-catches.

This means less monk is available for monk-concession holders.

Increasing the monk by-catch levy can only remedy the problem to a certain extent, he said.

Iyambo said stakeholder consultation is required before May 1 to consider options to reduce the monk by-catch by hake trawlers.

PILCHARD POSER A stock survey, which will be done in March, will be crucial to the TAC to be set for pilchards, said Iyambo.

He said the low stock level and unpredictable nature of the stock indicates that something has changed in the Benguela ecosystem and a reasonable level of pilchard stock must be detected before a TAC can be set.

"There is no simple answer to the problem of the pilchard stock recovery," said Minister Iyambo.

In his view, too many foreign chartered vessels are exploiting the mid-water trawl sector that largely fishes for horse mackerel.

"Only one foreign chartered vessel will be licensed at any one time per right holder and greater management controls will be introduced for foreign chartered vessels," he said The same situation prevails in the large pelagic sector, said Iyambo, as only three of 23 chartered vessels operating in this sector are Namibian.

This situation means jobs and value are being exported to other countries.

Iyambo said an examination of the socio-economic benefits to Namibians will be undertaken.

Since these vessels seem to target pelagic sharks rather than swordfish and tuna, levies on pelagic sharks will be introduced.

LINEFISH SECTOR The linefish sector, which includes catches of snoek, steenbras and kob, also offers little socio-economic benefit to Namibians, according to the Minister.

Only N$25 per ton is paid in levies, employment in the sector is low and virtually no value is added.

"Recreational fishing generates about 10 times more socio-economic benefits and multiplier effects.

Linefish resources are important in terms of food security, especially for low-income Namibians," said Iyambo.

As a solution, Iyambo suggested that the levy be reviewed, new management measures be introduced and the number of vessels reduced.

Commercial line fishing is to focus on snoek in the future, he said.

Iyambo recognised that credit and cash-flow problems are a major concern for the fishing industry, including fish farms.

He said the lack of transparency in company finances is often a problem for banks.

He said a firm strategy needs to be developed based on Namibia's competitive advantages and the bright future growth potential.

"Open forum discussions between Government, the financial sector and the industry must continue," Iyambo said.

Thirty-three rights of exploitation are due to expire at the end of 2007, which include 14 hake, two monk, six small pelagic, four horse mackerel, two large pelagic, two crab, two seal and one guano license.

For renewal, preference will be given to those that have shown real commitment to job creation, innovation, value-added processing and clear long-term strategies, said Iyambo.

MORATORIUM ON RIGHTS A moratorium on new rights will be implemented for at least the next five years, unless a drastic change in the resources becomes evident.

A further monitoring measure will be implemented in the form of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS).

"The benefits of VMS outweigh the costs," said Iyambo.

"It improves monitoring, control and surveillance and is necessary for Namibia to fulfil international obligations.

VMS based on secure Automatic Location Communicators (ALC) is not negotiable."

After March 21 2007, no vessel will be allowed to fish without an ALC installed.

Rock lobster, linefish and ski boats are exempt from this rule.

Value addition, job creation and marketing are the main challenges facing the Namibian fishing industry this year, according to the Minister.

As the largest exporter of hake to the European Union, Namibia retains only a small part of the value chain created by its exports.

He said the Ministry needs expert research assistance to identify key market opportunities for Namibian export species to ensure greater market penetration.

"We need to do far more in terms of value-addition," he said.

Of the 530 000 tonnes of fish the Namibian industry landed in 2004, on-shore processing only added about N$1 billion to the basic value, Iyambo explained.

"We need to create more jobs and retain more of the value chain for ourselves," he said.

He expressed the hope that 2006 will be a year of industrial peace, efficiency, productivity and dialogue.

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