Crackdown on fishing ‘free-for-all’ in the North

PEOPLE fishing at the Kandjengedi Bridge in Oshakati East have been ordered to stop immediately or face arrest.

Regional Councillor Loth Kuushomwa told residents of the Kandjengedi informal settlement on Monday that the Inland Fisheries Resource Act of 2003 prohibits fishing within 100 metres of a bridge, culvert or tunnel. This law applied to everybody in Namibia, he told the meeting, which was also attended by a fisheries inspector and Police officers.Kuushomwa said in terms of the Act, people need permits for fishing, but the Ministry of Fisheries had not made these permits available to the Regional Councils yet.Once they were available, people should obtain permits from local and regional authorities, he said.”Everyone who wants to fish should first obtain these permits,” Fisheries Inspector Ferdinand Pea said.He said a one-month fishing permit costs N$14 for Namibians and N$28 for non-Namibians.He also pointed out that the Act prohibits keeping undersized fish.Oshakati Town Councillor Katrina Shimbulu told residents that they should also register with their town councils if they want to sell fish in town.”This [selling fish] is not allowed in municipal areas and everyone has to register to become a street vendor and pay the N$60 that our local authorities are asking street vendors to pay when selling their items in the streets,” Shimbulu said.Residents were not happy with the new restrictions.”We understand what the law says, but it harms us badly, because it seems that we are no longer going to eat and earn an income from fishing,” said Shiwoovanhu Shitenga, who lives at Kandjengedi.”Where are we going to get the N$60 [for a vending permit] if things have already been made difficult for us by the authorities,” she asked.This law applied to everybody in Namibia, he told the meeting, which was also attended by a fisheries inspector and Police officers.Kuushomwa said in terms of the Act, people need permits for fishing, but the Ministry of Fisheries had not made these permits available to the Regional Councils yet.Once they were available, people should obtain permits from local and regional authorities, he said.”Everyone who wants to fish should first obtain these permits,” Fisheries Inspector Ferdinand Pea said.He said a one-month fishing permit costs N$14 for Namibians and N$28 for non-Namibians.He also pointed out that the Act prohibits keeping undersized fish.Oshakati Town Councillor Katrina Shimbulu told residents that they should also register with their town councils if they want to sell fish in town.”This [selling fish] is not allowed in municipal areas and everyone has to register to become a street vendor and pay the N$60 that our local authorities are asking street vendors to pay when selling their items in the streets,” Shimbulu said.Residents were not happy with the new restrictions.”We understand what the law says, but it harms us badly, because it seems that we are no longer going to eat and earn an income from fishing,” said Shiwoovanhu Shitenga, who lives at Kandjengedi.”Where are we going to get the N$60 [for a vending permit] if things have already been made difficult for us by the authorities,” she asked.