Hake industry secures five-year access to global markets

Namibia’s largest fishing export sector has secured continued access to European and other high-value seafood markets.

The country’s hake trawl and longline fishery was recently recertified under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability programme.

The certification, which was renewed in January following an audit completed late last year, allows Namibian hake products to continue carrying the MSC blue ecolabel, a requirement for many international retailers and seafood buyers, particularly in Europe and the United Kingdom.

The certificate is jointly held by the Namibian Hake Association (NHA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, which are listed by the MSC as the official fishery clients for Namibia’s hake trawl and longline fishery.

The fishery targets two species, Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus, which form the backbone of Namibia’s hake exports.

The Namibian hake fishery was first certified on 17 November 2020, becoming the first fishery in Namibia and only the second in Africa at the time to meet the MSC’s global standard for sustainable fishing.

In a statement, NHA secretary Ron Wolters says the industry had once again met the standards required by the MSC after a detailed audit process that examined stock levels, environmental impact and governance.

“When certifying, the Marine Stewardship Council looks at three principles.

The first deals with the hake biomass, the second looks at the impact the industry makes on the environment and what can be done to reduce that impact, and the third examines the management structures to ensure that no over-catching takes place and that transgressors of the law are sanctioned,” Wolters says.

He adds that the recertification is an endorsement of Namibia’s fisheries management system and the work of local scientists.

“Achieving certification is a feather in the cap of our Namibian scientists and confirms the management policies of the ministry, which aims to grow the stock and preserve it for future generations. Mining is finite; a well-managed fishery can sustain generations to come,” Wolters says.

The MSC blue label is applied to wild fish and seafood from fisheries that have been independently certified against the MSC fisheries standard, a set of international requirements designed to prevent overfishing, protect marine ecosystems and ensure effective management.

Many global retailers and seafood brands only source products that carry the MSC label, making certification a key gateway to international markets.

Namibia’s recertified hake fishery now joins six other African MSC-certified fisheries supplying sustainable hake and tuna to the global seafood market.

Hake is the largest segment of Namibia’s fishing industry and one of the country’s most important non-mineral exports.

It contributes about 7% to Namibia’s gross domestic product and supports about 16 000 direct jobs, with thousands more in processing, logistics and support services, particularly at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz.

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