Fisheries - Enviro Dynamics Namibia

F I S H E R I E S , M A M M A L S A N D S E A B I R D S S P E C I A L I S T S T U D Y
3 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES IN NAMIBIA
A review of the Namibian fisheries is provided in the following section. Note although all the
fishing sectors were examined only the sectors that could potentially be impacted by the
phosphate mining project are included in this report. For each fishing sector the geographic
extent of the fishery, fishing methods, gear, catches and environmental impacts of the fishing are
considered.
3.1 DEMERSAL TRAWL FISHERY
A fleet of about 100 Namibian-registered trawlers operates within Namibian waters primarily
targeting hake (Merluccius paradoxus and M. capensis). Main by-catch species include monkfish
(Lophius spp.), kingklip (Genypterus capensis) and snoek (Thyrsites atun). The directed hake trawl
fishery is Namibia’s most valuable fishery with a current annual hake TAC of 131,780 tonnes
(2011). Recent TACs for hake and monkfish are shown in Figure 6.
Hake and Monkfish TAC ('000 tons)
300
250
200
150
100
50
Figure 6. Total Allowable Catches set for hake and monkfish from 1991 to 2010
The fishery is active year-round except for a closed period during October each year. Trawlers are
based predominantly in Walvis Bay, but also operate from Lüderitz and fishing grounds extend
along the entire coastline between a depth of 200 m and 850 m. Trawlers are prohibited from
operating inshore of the 200 m isobath. The past five years (2005 – 2009) have shown an average
annual effort of ~170,000 hake-directed trawling hours per year (Figure 7).
Final Report
Namibian Marine Phosphate (Pty) Ltd.
0
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
Page 20
2001
Year
2003
2005
2007
2009
Monkfish
Hake