Iyambo says no mercy for fisheries offenders

FISHING right holders came under fire from Minister Abraham Iyambo yesterday for the actions of their skippers and staff members with regards to the treatment of fisheries observers.

In a hard hitting statement at the official inauguration of the Fisheries Observer Agency at Walvis Bay Iyambo also set an ultimatum to the mid-water trawler fishery to Namibianise their crews. “I intend not licensing a vessel without Namibian crew,” he declared, saying he was in possession of the names of vessels that did not have any Namibians on board.According to the Minister only one of the 20 mid-water trawlers licensed had so far exceeded the 55 per cent Namibian crew target, despite a new strategy announced in 2001 to speed up the process.The strategy targets were set to achieve 35 per cent Namibian crew by 2002, 45 per cent by 2003 and 55 per cent by 2004.”It is obvious that there is a certain degree of resistance to increasing Namibian crew numbers by some mid-water trawlers,” said the Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister.Turning to the role of observers, the Iyambo reminded right holders they were legally bound by the Marine Resources Act to carry an on-board observer.He said while the aim was to achieve 100 per cent coverage for all commercial fishing vessels, the Agency had achieved 67 per cent coverage.Calling them the eyes and ears of the Ministry, Iyambo said observers were expected to monitor compliance with laws and regulations.Looking at violations reported by observers, he said some fines were “ridiculously low and act as no deterrence at all.I am working to redress this situation soonest!”.An issue that is unacceptable to the Minister is the dumping of waste and fish.Despite regulations that strictly forbid the discharge of waste generated on a fishing vessel at sea and discarding of any marine resources harvested, or taken as by-catch, a total of 106 violations were reported over the past 12 months of which about 30 related to dumping.Iyambo said he also heard of failed attempts to bribe observers not to report instances of discarding.”Can it also be true that some skippers leave valuable species like kingklip to go rotten on deck, then use it as an excuse to discard it? Simply because they do not want to pay the by-catch levy?” The Minister said he had the names of skippers who unfairly fired crew members because they refused to dump edible and marketable fish, or because they were suspected of providing information to observers.”I have directed my officials to carefully investigate these cases.Appropriate action against the skipper concerned and his employer will naturally follow.””I intend not licensing a vessel without Namibian crew,” he declared, saying he was in possession of the names of vessels that did not have any Namibians on board.According to the Minister only one of the 20 mid-water trawlers licensed had so far exceeded the 55 per cent Namibian crew target, despite a new strategy announced in 2001 to speed up the process.The strategy targets were set to achieve 35 per cent Namibian crew by 2002, 45 per cent by 2003 and 55 per cent by 2004.”It is obvious that there is a certain degree of resistance to increasing Namibian crew numbers by some mid-water trawlers,” said the Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister.Turning to the role of observers, the Iyambo reminded right holders they were legally bound by the Marine Resources Act to carry an on-board observer.He said while the aim was to achieve 100 per cent coverage for all commercial fishing vessels, the Agency had achieved 67 per cent coverage.Calling them the eyes and ears of the Ministry, Iyambo said observers were expected to monitor compliance with laws and regulations.Looking at violations reported by observers, he said some fines were “ridiculously low and act as no deterrence at all.I am working to redress this situation soonest!”.An issue that is unacceptable to the Minister is the dumping of waste and fish.Despite regulations that strictly forbid the discharge of waste generated on a fishing vessel at sea and discarding of any marine resources harvested, or taken as by-catch, a total of 106 violations were reported over the past 12 months of which about 30 related to dumping.Iyambo said he also heard of failed attempts to bribe observers not to report instances of discarding.”Can it also be true that some skippers leave valuable species like kingklip to go rotten on deck, then use it as an excuse to discard it? Simply because they do not want to pay the by-catch levy?” The Minister said he had the names of skippers who unfairly fired crew members because they refused to dump edible and marketable fish, or because they were suspected of providing information to observers.”I have directed my officials to carefully investigate these cases.Appropriate action against the skipper concerned and his employer will naturally follow.”