Anti Plunder Action Group Gathers momentum and protest against live export of Marine Creatures

A petition on which Namibians express their discontent with a Chinese company applying for permission from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine resources to capture and export to Asia live dolphins, penguins, seals as well as killer whales has surpassed the 6500 signature threshold.

The recently formed Anti Plunder Action Group (APAG) confirmed this figure yesterday and said despite the group denied permission by the Namibia Ports Authority to hand a petition to the Master of the Russian vessel Ryazanovka at sea on Sunday, a public gathering at the Walvis Bay Yacht Club was also adequate to focus the attention of Namibians and the world on the issue.
Radio stations in Namibia, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as well as Namibian newspapers ensured a global audience has its attention on the matter. International environmental groups, including Sea Shepherd, also has the issue on its radar.
Locally, a protest march is soon to take place where the petition will be handed to Namport not to allow the vessel in any Namibian port, the ships agent to distance itself from Ryazanovska and her owners as well as for the Namibian Government not to entertain any form of applications [current and future] for the capture and export of live marine creatures from the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), namib times was told.
The Namibian Police approved an application by the organising committee of APAG for a public march and by yesterday afternoon a similar application was lodged with Walvis Bay’s municipal traffic authority which will be tasked with traffic safety during the march.
On the issue of Namport not allowing protesters to meet the Ryazanovka at sea to hand over a petition, the organising committee said they respect the port authority’s stance on the matter. Namport is ultimately responsible for the safety of all port users, including ships anchored in the bay. The protest could also influence the port’s ranking worldwide a Namport source explained to namib times yesterday.