The government aims to raise the fisheries sector’s contribution to the national economy by N$300 million, from N$10.4 billion to N$10.7 billion by 2030, under the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani has said.
Zaamwani said the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product is projected to increase from N$10.4 billion to N$10.7 billion by the end of the decade.
She said achieving the target will depend on rebuilding fish stocks to maximum sustainable yield, intensifying efforts against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, expanding value addition in fish products and increasing employment across the sector.
“The achievement of these ambitious targets requires us to collectively develop action plans to achieve these targets. You are therefore key partners in this development process,” Zaamwani said while addressing fishing rightsholders during an industry engagement in Lüderitz.
“The way you manage your operations will be central in achieving NDP6 goals and ensure meaningful contribution to GDP, value addition, the creation of quality jobs, tax compliance and strategic investment,” she said.
To strengthen accountability, Zaamwani said the ministry plans to introduce a Fisheries Scorecard in 2026. The scorecard will assess fishing rightsholders not only on catch levels and regulatory compliance, but also on job creation, local procurement and corporate governance.
She said the measure is intended to distinguish companies that make a genuine developmental contribution from those that merely hold fishing rights.
The minister also warned of corporate governance failures in parts of the industry, citing cases where marginalised communities are used to secure fishing rights without receiving fair access to dividends or financial information.
“These practices are unethical and will no longer be tolerated,” she said, adding that the scorecard would be used to expose and address such abuses.
On enforcement, Zaamwani said government is strengthening by-catch controls and surveillance, while working towards ratifying the World Trade Organization Fishing Protocol to enhance regional and international cooperation against IUU fishing.
She noted that pilchard stocks are showing early signs of recovery, prompting the approval of a precautionary total allowable catch for the 2025 season. The decision, she said, is intended to test the recovery of the stock under strict scientific monitoring rather than signal a return to unrestricted fishing.
Zaamwani urged industry players to diversify export markets, invest in aquaculture and agriculture, and expand value-adding activities to ease pressure on wild fish stocks while supporting food security and job creation.
“The protection of non-target species and the broader ecosystem is integral to the health of the stocks we depend on,” she said. “At the same time, we need to put in place effective surveillance measures to eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing from our seas.”
