Illegal fishing continues to expose weaknesses in Southern African Development Community (SADC) enforcement systems, with stakeholders warning that existing penalties are failing to deter offenders exploiting Namibia’s marine resources.
The concerns follow the interception of a fishing vessel by the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs through the navy during a routine patrol near the northern maritime border with Angola on Sunday.
The vessel was found operating illegally in Namibian waters and carried 22 male crew members, including four Chinese nationals and 18 Angolans.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on multiple charges.
The incident comes amid growing concern over losses linked to illegal fishing and bycatch.
Earlier this month, The Namibian reported that the government may have lost about N$157.5 million from 17 500 tonnes of hake caught as bycatch by 15 horse mackerel freezer trawlers in 2025.
This comes after the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform told The Namibian that penalties currently used to control bycatch in the fishing sector may not be stopping repeat offenders.
Bycatch levels increased sharply since 2020, despite monitoring systems and penalties being in place.
Bycatch refers to fish or other marine species caught while trying to catch another species.
Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC) board chairperson Stanley Ndara yesterday said current regional penalties are not strong enough to discourage violations.
“One of the major challenges is that the SADC protocol on fisheries is not legally binding on member states,” he said.
Ndara said MCSCC promotes compliance with the centre’s charter while encouraging cooperation and best-practice approaches to fisheries monitoring and enforcement.
He said funding shortages remain a major obstacle, limiting member states’ ability to procure modern monitoring equipment and adequately train law enforcement officials in legal and administrative procedures required for successful prosecutions.
“Without strengthened capacity, legal outcomes may be compromised and cases could be challenged in court,” Ndara warned.
He added that fisheries-related crimes continue to affect the region through contraband smuggling, illegal immigration and forced labour.
Ndara said manpower shortages at ports and landing sites have also left coastal and inland regions vulnerable to exploitation.
He raised concern over foreign fishing vessels crossing into Namibia’s waters near the Angolan border to plunder marine resources.
Ndara said Namibia should strengthen bilateral cooperation with Angola to improve border enforcement and coordinated responses to incursions.
He, however, commended recent collaboration between regional agencies, including the Namibian Navy’s interception of the vessel.
Independent Patriots for Change fisheries shadow minister Michael Mulunga has welcomed the interception, saying illegal fishing continues to rob Namibians of their natural resources.
“As lawmakers we need to strengthen policies to include modern detection systems such as satellite surveillance and monitoring drones,” he says.
Mulunga calls for stronger cooperation between the Namibian Navy and the Namibian Fisheries Observer Agency through regular patrols.
Lawyer Richard Metcalfe says the most effective way to combat illegal fishing is through an integrated maritime strategy combining technological surveillance, law enforcement and maritime enforcement.
“The present international trend is to resort to hardline maritime enforcement by prosecuting all persons on the vessel and confiscating vessels involved in illegal marine activity,” he says.
Metcalfe adds that the Prevention of Organised Crime Act could be effective in ensuring forfeiture of assets linked to illegal fishing, which he describes as organised crime.
