Cabinet has approved the culling of 86,000 seals for the upcoming 2023 harvesting season.
The proposal, submitted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and endorsed by the Cabinet, sets the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Cape Fur Seals at 80,000 pups and 6,000 bulls for the 2023 season.
This represents an increase from the approved TAC of 60,000 pups and 8,000 bulls for the 2022 season.
The Ministry of Information announced that the Cabinet has also endorsed a three-year TAC for the period 2023-2025.
This decision comes in response to concerns about the rising seal population in Namibian waters and its impact on local fish species.
According to the Fisheries Ministry, seal pups consume more than 12kg of fish per day, while bulls consume up to 20kg, depending on their weight.
With an estimated seal population in Namibia ranging between 1.5 and 2 million, the increasing numbers pose a significant threat to fish stocks.
