Names of fishing rights applicants made public

Within the next two to three weeks the names of all applications of fishing rights will be published in the media and also on the website of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Benhard Esau promised on Wednesday.
That was during a press conference in which the Minister announced that a total of 5 193 applications for fishing rights were received at the time the deadline for applications arrived at close of business on 31 August. A total of 661 applications were received from Erongo. The biggest number of applications received were the head office of the fisheries ministry (2 766 applications) and the Khomas Regional Council (1 247 applications). The next triple digit number application was Oshana Region (110 applications). The rest of the Regions only received double digit applications – Karas Region 96 as the highest in the double-digit range and Oshana Region the lowest – 18 applications.
Minister Esau assured Namibians every application will be evaluated fairly and declarations will be checked for validity.
“As stated earlier, the policy objective in this matter is to give meaning to the Government policy of inclusivity and particularly empowerment of previously disadvantaged Namibians, while ensuring that we protect Namibian jobs and investments in our marine fisheries sub-sector”, the Minister is quoted.
Minister Esau said although fishing rights must be inclusive, that does not mean every Namibian and every applicant will receive a fishing right. The country’s fish resource cannot be managed sustainable in such circumstances and could even collapse all together.
“I wish to remind all Namibians of the fact that, because of our limited fisheries resources, not all Namibians, and indeed not all applicants, can be issued with a fishing right. It would make the fisheries sector uneconomical, and a free-for-all would lead to an unsustainable scramble for this natural resource, leading to its collapse”.