Two illegal fishing nets seized

OFFICIALS of the Ministry of Fisheries on Friday confiscated two illegal fishing nets from people in the Kavango Region.

Peter Amutenya, the Director of Fisheries, said the people were found fishing on the Kavango River in the area of Shinjungwe. He said officials confiscated one mosquito net and one gill net, which was of the wrong size.The Inland Fisheries Act prohibits fishing with mosquito nets, as this method even takes out the smallest fish.Gill nets are allowed, but the maximum length is 100 metres.The gill net that was confiscated from the villagers, according to Amutenya, exceeded the prescribed length.He said the villagers were given spot fines.The move came after The Namibian carried a report on tourism operators and tourists to the region complaining about illegal fishing in the Kavango River.At the beginning of this month, Mark Paxton of Shamvura Camp said drag-netting was stripping the river of fish and disturbing birds nesting on the riverbanks, such as the critically endangered African Skimmer.He said drag-netting by people from outside the region was making it hard for local fishermen using traditional fishing methods to catch fish for their own consumption.He said officials confiscated one mosquito net and one gill net, which was of the wrong size.The Inland Fisheries Act prohibits fishing with mosquito nets, as this method even takes out the smallest fish.Gill nets are allowed, but the maximum length is 100 metres.The gill net that was confiscated from the villagers, according to Amutenya, exceeded the prescribed length.He said the villagers were given spot fines.The move came after The Namibian carried a report on tourism operators and tourists to the region complaining about illegal fishing in the Kavango River.At the beginning of this month, Mark Paxton of Shamvura Camp said drag-netting was stripping the river of fish and disturbing birds nesting on the riverbanks, such as the critically endangered African Skimmer.He said drag-netting by people from outside the region was making it hard for local fishermen using traditional fishing methods to catch fish for their own consumption.