Scientists discuss marine conservation

SCIENTISTS from across the world are gathering in Walvis Bay to discuss the monitoring and management of the global marine ecosystem.

As part of the working group of the Commission for the Conservation of the Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), experts from countries such as England, Spain, Russia and New Zealand will deliberate for the next two weeks on the implementation of the ecosystem approach to marine management. The ecosystem concept was adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 where the target for implementation was set at 2010.”We have less than five years to 2010,” said Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo at the official opening yesterday.”Yes, the ecosystem approach needs to be fully tested.However, I am convinced that in the long run it is a superior management technique than the traditional single-species management regime.”Iyambo stressed the need for available expertise and data.”Do we all have the necessary scientific capacity or expertise? …The answer is definitely ?no’,” he said.”The ecosystem management approach is definitely data-starved.”According to Iyambo, information and research findings are often not applied because policymakers do not understand them.He called on the group to present practical, transparent and realistic data that can be understood by decision-makers.Regional instruments such as CCAMLR should be dynamic and flexible and, if need be, existing conventions should be amended.”Member nations should benefit from the resources.After all, they pay membership fees,” Iyambo said.”I am pleased that you will be dealing with the imperatives of predators,” said the Minister.”The topic is poorly understood, but contributes to mortality.”He singled out global warming and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as the main threats to the world’s fish species.”IUU is currently a lucrative business.It is estimated that global IUU catches are in several billion US dollars per year.Aliens do not conduct IUU.”It is carefully planned and perpetrated by human beings who operate as chameleons.They change their identities [and] are rarely apprehended and brought to book.They offload their illicit cargoes under the nose of certain Port States.”Fines are not a successful deterrent, said Iyambo.While many developing countries are focusing on poverty alleviation, health epidemics and natural calamities, they have no resources to fight IUU, he added.”Developed countries are regrettably curtailing their assistance or at worst are unwilling to assist developing countries,” Iyambo said.”I think they should assist.”In 2001 Namibia became only the second African country to enlist as a CCAMLR member.The ecosystem concept was adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 where the target for implementation was set at 2010.”We have less than five years to 2010,” said Fisheries Minister Abraham Iyambo at the official opening yesterday.”Yes, the ecosystem approach needs to be fully tested.However, I am convinced that in the long run it is a superior management technique than the traditional single-species management regime.”Iyambo stressed the need for available expertise and data.”Do we all have the necessary scientific capacity or expertise? …The answer is definitely ?no’,” he said.”The ecosystem management approach is definitely data-starved.”According to Iyambo, information and research findings are often not applied because policymakers do not understand them.He called on the group to present practical, transparent and realistic data that can be understood by decision-makers.Regional instruments such as CCAMLR should be dynamic and flexible and, if need be, existing conventions should be amended.”Member nations should benefit from the resources.After all, they pay membership fees,” Iyambo said.”I am pleased that you will be dealing with the imperatives of predators,” said the Minister.”The topic is poorly understood, but contributes to mortality.”He singled out global warming and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as the main threats to the world’s fish species.”IUU is currently a lucrative business.It is estimated that global IUU catches are in several billion US dollars per year.Aliens do not conduct IUU.”It is carefully planned and perpetrated by human beings who operate as chameleons.They change their identities [and] are rarely apprehended and brought to book.They offload their illicit cargoes under the nose of certain Port States.”Fines are not a successful deterrent, said Iyambo.While many developing countries are focusing on poverty alleviation, health epidemics and natural calamities, they have no resources to fight IUU, he added.”Developed countries are regrettably curtailing their assistance or at worst are unwilling to assist developing countries,” Iyambo said.”I think they should assist.”In 2001 Namibia became only the second African country to enlist as a CCAMLR member.