Seal quota down for this season

CABINET has approved an annual seal quota of 80 000 pups and 6 000 bulls for the new culling season, which starts on Sunday.

The same quota will apply for 2008 and 2009. Last year’s mass die-off of seal pups was an indication that the quota should be reduced from previous years, when the quota was higher, Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said yesterday.”The three-year rolling annual quota shall only be adjusted if there is a major improvement or reduction in the stock,” she said.The seal harvesting season is from July 1 to November 15 each year.”Cabinet also advised the Ministry of Fisheries to consider granting exploratory rights as part of the total allowable catches (TAC) to harvest only pups on smaller existing nearby colonies,” the Information Minister told reporters.The Marine Resources Advisory Council met on May 31 to set the seal quota.Cabinet further approved that no selective harvesting of pups would be allowed.According to a 2005 Government survey which is disputed by international animal rights groups, seals allegedly consume more fish per year than the entire fishing industry can catch.A seal population survey conducted in December 2005 indicated a total count of 205 500 pups and 650 000 adults.Harvested colonies at Cape Cross, Atlas Bay and Wolf Bay represent 60 per cent of the total pup population in Namibia, while non-harvested land-based and island colonies each represents 20 per cent.During 2006, the total annual fish consumption by seals was estimated to be up to 900 000 tonnes, according to the Government survey.The total annual landings of the Namibian fishing industry are between 500 000 and 600 000 tonnes per year.”This means that seals are consuming far more fish than what are caught by the commercial fleet.Furthermore, the major part of the biomass of Namibia’s hake and pilchard stocks currently comprises small fish, which are of the size that are typically consumed by seals,” Minister Nandi-Ndaitwah said.”Cabinet resolved that mitigating mechanisms be worked out by the Fisheries Ministry and the industry to reduce seal predation of hake and other species.”Last year’s mass die-off of seal pups was an indication that the quota should be reduced from previous years, when the quota was higher, Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said yesterday.”The three-year rolling annual quota shall only be adjusted if there is a major improvement or reduction in the stock,” she said.The seal harvesting season is from July 1 to November 15 each year.”Cabinet also advised the Ministry of Fisheries to consider granting exploratory rights as part of the total allowable catches (TAC) to harvest only pups on smaller existing nearby colonies,” the Information Minister told reporters.The Marine Resources Advisory Council met on May 31 to set the seal quota.Cabinet further approved that no selective harvesting of pups would be allowed.According to a 2005 Government survey which is disputed by international animal rights groups, seals allegedly consume more fish per year than the entire fishing industry can catch.A seal population survey conducted in December 2005 indicated a total count of 205 500 pups and 650 000 adults.Harvested colonies at Cape Cross, Atlas Bay and Wolf Bay represent 60 per cent of the total pup population in Namibia, while non-harvested land-based and island colonies each represents 20 per cent.During 2006, the total annual fish consumption by seals was estimated to be up to 900 000 tonnes, according to the Government survey.The total annual landings of the Namibian fishing industry are between 500 000 and 600 000 tonnes per year.”This means that seals are consuming far more fish than what are caught by the commercial fleet.Furthermore, the major part of the biomass of Namibia’s hake and pilchard stocks currently comprises small fish, which are of the size that are typically consumed by seals,” Minister Nandi-Ndaitwah said.”Cabinet resolved that mitigating mechanisms be worked out by the Fisheries Ministry and the industry to reduce seal predation of hake and other species.”