(3 Minutes Read)
The Namibian government has extended its moratorium on pilchard fishing for an additional three years in a continued effort to allow the severely depleted stocks to recover. Announced during recent Cabinet briefings, the decision underscores Namibia’s long-term commitment to the sustainability of its marine resources.
According to the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Emma Theofelus, the ban will remain in effect until the national pilchard biomass reaches a minimum of one million metric tonnes—a level deemed necessary for restoring a viable and self-sustaining spawning population.
This new extension builds on a previous three-year moratorium first introduced in 2018, which followed alarming scientific assessments that showed three consecutive years of zero pilchard biomass, effectively signaling a collapse of the resource. The prolonged closure aims to give the pilchard population time to regenerate in Namibian waters, which were once home to a thriving pilchard fishery but have since experienced dramatic declines due to overfishing and environmental changes.
While the commercial pilchard fishery remains closed, the Cabinet has approved a limited Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 10,000 metric tonnes for the remainder of the 2025 season. This catch is strictly reserved for government-sanctioned research and development purposes and is not a signal of reopening the industry. Only companies that meet specific environmental and operational standards—such as operating onshore processing facilities, using sustainable fishing methods, and ensuring all catch is processed locally—will be eligible to access this quota.
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To safeguard the moratorium and prevent illegal pilchard fishing disguised as bycatch, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform is implementing enhanced compliance measures. These include revising bycatch regulations, adjusting landed values to curb economic incentives for illicit harvesting, increasing surveillance, enforcing stricter penalties for violations, and conducting more accurate and targeted stock assessments.
With these combined actions, Namibia continues to reinforce its stance on marine conservation, prioritizing science-based decision-making and regulatory oversight as it works to rebuild one of its historically significant fishery resources.
