The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources have initiated a bidding process for the sale of 5000 metric tonnes (MT) of Hake fish.
This comes as government in August was on the market seeking bidders for
600 metric tonnes (MT) of Monk Freezer fish.
Earlier, the two government departments had initiated an open bidding process for 30,540 metric tonnes (MT) of Horse Mackerel in March.
In 2020, the Namibian government adopted a resolution to auction fish quotas using a competitive bidding system. This approach ensures the nation receives equitable value for its fishery resources and maximizes benefits from its natural assets.
The decision aligns with Section 3(3) of the Marine Resources Act, Act No. 17 of 2000, as amended. This section empowers the government to exploit or harvest marine resources to advance socio-economic, cultural, or other governmental objectives in the public interest. Such exploitation is conducted through an entity or individual designated by the Minister, under the direction of the Cabinet.
According latest trade figures from the Namibia Statistics Agency, during September 2023, Namibia’s export earnings recorded an increase of 5.3% from N$7.4 billion recorded in August 2023 to N$7.8 billion, with fish contributing 12.1%, mainly destined to Spain and Zambia.
According to Simonis Storm, the fishing sector contributed an average of 12.5% to the total exports for 2022.
