President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah continued her working visit to Walvis Bay with a tour aboard the government research vessel RV Mirabilis, reaffirming the country’s commitment to science-driven fisheries management and ocean governance.

During the visit, the President and her delegation were briefed on the vessel’s multi-disciplinary research programme, which supports evidence-based decision-making in the fisheries sector. Central to this work is the use of advanced acoustic technology, combined with targeted trawling, to assess fish abundance, distribution, and population structure.

The programme also gathers critical biological data, including length weight relationships, reproductive stages, stomach content analysis, and otolith sampling for age determination, providing key insights into fish stock dynamics. It further contributes to national capacity building by training personnel in acoustic methods, instrumentation, and biomass estimation.

Beyond fisheries, the Mirabilis supports a wide range of oceanographic and environmental research. This includes collecting ichthyoplankton data to identify spawning areas of pelagic species, monitoring ocean conditions such as temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, and analysing water samples for nutrients like phosphate, nitrate, and ammonium.

Additional research focuses on phytoplankton distribution and ocean current profiling using advanced technologies. The visit forms part of the President’s three-day programme in Walvis Bay, following engagements with stakeholders in the fishing industry. President Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised that sustained investment in marine research is vital for protecting Namibia’s marine resources, strengthening resilience, and advancing the country’s blue economy.

By Rudi Bowe