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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 12, No. 4

Publication Date: August 25, 2024

DOI:10.14738/aivp.124.17462

Uahengo, T., Msiska, O., & Iikela, S. (2024). Analyzing Recent Trends of Selected Commercial Fisheries of Namibia, 2000-2021.

European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(4). 495-502.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Analyzing Recent Trends of Selected Commercial Fisheries of

Namibia, 2000-2021

Toivo Uahengo

The International University of Management;

Sustainable Ocean and Aquaculture Management

(SOAM); Pelican Mall Cnr. /O Sam Nuyoma Avenue

and Getrud Kandanga Road; PO Box: 346 Walvis Bay

Orton Msiska

The International University of Management;

Sustainable Ocean and Aquaculture Management

(SOAM); Pelican Mall Cnr. /O Sam Nuyoma Avenue

and Getrud Kandanga Road; PO Box: 346 Walvis Bay

Sioni Iikela

The International University of Management,

Faculty of Environment and Sustainable Tourism,

21-31 Hercules Street, Dorado Park Ext 1, Windhoek

ABSTRACT

Namibia has one of the world’s richest fisheries based on the Benguela upwelling

system. This paper presents the selected principal stocks harvested for

commercial purposes in the Namibian waters that are managed through the quota

systems; drawing examples from comparable Eastern Boundary upwelling

systems. It focuses on the selected marine fisheries of Merluccius capensis and

Merluccius paradoxus (Hake), Lophius vomerinus (Monkfish), Trachurus capensis

(Horse mackerel), Chaceon maritae (deep-sea Red crab), and Jasus lalandii Rock

Lobster). Most of these fisheries need complementary management actions to be

taken to improve their fishing catches, especially Lophius vomerinus and

Trachurus capensis that are showing downward trends most probably due to

overfishing. However, other indicators apportion the downward trend

experienced between 2019 and 2020 was due to the outbreak of COVID-19 which

reduced fishing trips. Hake, Deep-sea Red crabs, and Rock lobster are maintaining

the recovery status quo. Hoplostethus atlanticus (Orange Roughy) and Sardinops

sagax (Pilchard) have been drastically depleted and are currently put under

moratorium. Apart from emphasizing the impact of El Nino on the fishery,

questions still remain to be investigated on the contributions of the EL Nino

phenomenon versus fishing pressure as well as specific parameters in the

Benguela upwelling system that elicit these changes. It was also observed that the

onset of fish declines occurs well, at least 2 years, before the impact of El Nino is

felt on land.

Keywords: Upwelling systems, marine fisheries, commercial, harvest, boom and bust

fishery, El Nino.

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Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom 496

European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 12, Issue 4, August-2024

INTRODUCTION

The dynamic nature of the Namibian marine ecosystem is such that periodic upwelling

changes are quite dramatic and enriching, these are being made especially complex with the

effects of climate change and intensive human developmental activities including mining and

fishing. As part of the four Eastern Boundary Currents (EBC) regions of the World, which

account for 5% of global primary production and 17% of the global fish catch (Pauly &

Christensen, 1995), the Namibian coastline is very productive and offers a rich source of fish

resources. The challenge is to exploit the fisheries resource sustainably while keeping other

industries thriving,

The Namibian coastal waters extend from the Kunene River (17°12'S) in the north to the

Orange River (29°30'S) in the South (Figure 1) and encompass the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ) (200 nautical miles) of Namibia's coastal waters (Erasmus 2022). This lies in the

Benguela upwelling ecosystem and is one of the most productive fishing grounds in the world.

Other similar ecosystems are Canary Currents, California Currents, and Humboldt Currents;

also responsible for supporting major fisheries and other marine life (Bhadra, 2019).

Figure 1: The Namibian coastal area within EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).

The principal stocks harvested for commercial purposes from Namibian waters and regulated

through the allocation of Total Allowable Catches (TAC), which are determined by biomass

surveys conducted annually to assess the status of the stocks of two species of Hake, known as

the shallow water form and deep-water hakes, Monkfish, Horse mackerel, Deep sea Red Crab,

and Rock lobster. The other two fisheries consisting of Orange Roughy and Pilchard were

previously economically exploited but are currently under a moratorium (Ministry of

Fisheries and Marine Resources [MFMR], 2018; Kainge et al., 2020). The species diversity in

the Benguela Eastern Boundary Current closely resembles that of the Chile-Peruvian system

(Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO 2024), implying that comparisons can reasonably be

made with the latter.

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497

Uahengo, T., Msiska, O., & Iikela, S. (2024). Analyzing Recent Trends of Selected Commercial Fisheries of Namibia, 2000-2021. European Journal of

Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(4). 495-502.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.124.17462

The data used in the study were collected by fishing vessel captains, tasked by MFMR, to

collect fisheries data during commercial fishing operations. Fishing vessel captains are

required to complete logbooks containing information on fishing operations (e.g., trawling

time, position, depth, and gear type used), catch information (e.g., type of species harvested

and the bycatches), and information on products processed from the catch. In these selected

fisheries, daily catch quantities were calculated by averaging the number of trawls each day

being overseen onboard the ships by observers. All species caught were recorded and

allocated species codes for identification purposes. Where catches were processed into

various products, the weight of each product was converted to a whole round (live weight)

using the convention factor determined by specialists as required by the Marine Resources

Regulations of 2001 (MFMR, 2001). The data were captured into the Fisheries Information

and Management System (FIMS) database at the National Marine Institution and Research

Centre (NatMIRC), a research center under the MFMR. The Data used for this article were

collected from 2000 to 2021. The data were analyzed by using the Microsoft Spreadsheet to

construct graphs. The purpose of this article is to highlight and draw lessons from the current

status of the major commercial quota species and their implications for future sustainability

of stocks.

ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES

Hake

At the time of independence in 1990, hake was one of the most depleted resources. The

Government of Namibia put in place monitoring, control surveillance (MCS) measures to

guide harvesting including the implementation of 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone

(EEZ) (MFMR, 2001). This was followed by the allocation of fishing rights and a quota system,

the setting of TACs levels, specification of mesh size of 110 mm minimum size, fish takeable

size limits of >36 cm, and inclusion of the closing season of October to allow the stocks to

recover. In addition to the MCS system, independent fisheries observers have been deployed

onboard fishing vessels operating in Namibian waters (MFMR, 2022). The hake landings are

based on the reconciled data between the right holders and the MFMR’s fisheries inspectors

(Figure 2) collected from 2000 to 2021 versus TAC. As it is evident from the figure, the

industry was not able to catch its total quota.

Figure 2: Hake landings in Metric tons (2000 -2021)