Crackdown on illegal fishing urged

ILLEGAL fishing in the Okavango River is allegedly escalating and the Ministries of Fisheries and of Environment have been urged to apply strict control measures.

These claims are contained in a statement issued by a tourism operator in the Kavango Region, Mark Paxton. He said locals who live along the river are fishing with dragnets, a practice defined as illegal by the Inland Fisheries Act.”This hugely destructive use of nets indiscriminately harvests large amounts of fish at one time,” said Paxton of Shamvura Camp.He said dragnetting also disturbs bird species nesting on the riverbanks, such as the critically endangered African Skimmer.He said dragnet fishing was also making it difficult for fishermen with permits to catch fish for own consumption using traditional fishing methods.”Dragnetting in this area is normally carried out by small groups of two to eight youths, using large nets.These groups often operate on full-moon nights as well as during the day,” Paxton claims.He said the situation was difficult to control because the Ministry of Fisheries only has one inspector for the river and the person resigned recently.Illegal fishing on the river has angered some tourists who witnessed it during river trips and have written to the Government to take action.In a letter to Permanent Secretary of Fisheries Frans Sheehama, Professor Robert Self from UK, who said he had visited Namibia twice in the last two years, said he witnessed illegal fishing on the Okavango River.In the letter, of which The Namibian has a copy, Self said: “It is with intense disappointment and dismay that I have to report to you a very serious breach of your Fisheries Act.While staying at Shamvura Camp were we enjoyed a river trip, we encountered a group of men dragnetting in flagrant disregard not just of the law of your country but also of the local ecosystem.”What was particularly significant about this incident was that the group claimed to be from Walvis Bay.As such, they were clearly not engaged in this illegal activity simply to provide food for themselves.On the contrary, this was clearly a commercial enterprise.”Approached for comment, Director of Fisheries Peter Amutenya confirmed that illegal fishing had been reported there.He said Ministry officials confiscated dragnets and mosquito nets whenever someone was found fishing with them in the river.Amutenya pointed out that it was illegal to fish in rivers with nets, and said those found guilty would be fined.He acknowledged that the area was too vast to be effectively monitored.”You’re not only talking about Kavango, but also Caprivi.”He said locals who live along the river are fishing with dragnets, a practice defined as illegal by the Inland Fisheries Act.”This hugely destructive use of nets indiscriminately harvests large amounts of fish at one time,” said Paxton of Shamvura Camp. He said dragnetting also disturbs bird species nesting on the riverbanks, such as the critically endangered African Skimmer.He said dragnet fishing was also making it difficult for fishermen with permits to catch fish for own consumption using traditional fishing methods.”Dragnetting in this area is normally carried out by small groups of two to eight youths, using large nets.These groups often operate on full-moon nights as well as during the day,” Paxton claims.He said the situation was difficult to control because the Ministry of Fisheries only has one inspector for the river and the person resigned recently.Illegal fishing on the river has angered some tourists who witnessed it during river trips and have written to the Government to take action.In a letter to Permanent Secretary of Fisheries Frans Sheehama, Professor Robert Self from UK, who said he had visited Namibia twice in the last two years, said he witnessed illegal fishing on the Okavango River.In the letter, of which The Namibian has a copy, Self said: “It is with intense disappointment and dismay that I have to report to you a very serious breach of your Fisheries Act.While staying at Shamvura Camp were we enjoyed a river trip, we encountered a group of men dragnetting in flagrant disregard not just of the law of your country but also of the local ecosystem.”What was particularly significant about this incident was that the group claimed to be from Walvis Bay.As such, they were clearly not engaged in this illegal activity simply to provide food for themselves.On the contrary, this was clearly a commercial enterprise.”Approached for comment, Director of Fisheries Peter Amutenya confirmed that illegal fishing had been reported there.He said Ministry officials confiscated dragnets and mosquito nets whenever someone was found fishing with them in the river.Amutenya pointed out that it was illegal to fish in rivers with nets, and said those found guilty would be fined.He acknowledged that the area was too vast to be effectively monitored.”You’re not only talking about Kavango, but also Caprivi.”