Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) stated that it is committed to tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing along Namibia’s northern maritime border.
In response to reports about the presence of foreign fishing vessels illegally operating within Namibia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the ministry has deployed its flagship patrol vessel to monitor the situation.
The executive director of the ministry, Annely Haiphene, expressed concern over viral videos and photographs circulating online, which show vessels engaging in illegal fishing activities in Namibian waters.
“These reports, photographs, and videos were analysed with the primary objective of establishing whether the vessels depicted were at any time present in Namibia’s EEZ and if they were engaged in illegal fishing activities,” she said.
Following an investigation, the ministry established that one of the vessels in question, FV Mar Rojo Dos, was in Namibian waters but was merely in transit from Walvis Bay to Angola and was not involved in fishing activities.
“A snapshot image of this vessel’s movement confirms that it was on passage and not engaged in fishing operations,” she said.
Haiphene, however, clarified that the cluster of fishing vessels observed near the northeastern maritime border with Angola remained within Angolan waters and had not entered Namibian waters unlawfully.
Namibia’s maritime border with Angola is located at latitude 17.25 degrees.
According to Haiphene, any vessel operating at a latitude lower than this is within Angolan waters.
She added that as a result the ministry has maintained a heightened presence in the area, deploying the state-of-the-art patrol vessel Anna Kakurukaze since 7 February 2025.
“The vessel has been actively monitoring and patrolling this zone, ensuring that no illegal fishing activity takes place in our waters,” she said.
She added that in a proactive move to deter any potential violations, Anna Kakurukaze remained stationed in the region for extended periods, conducting round-the-clock monitoring and surveillance.
“On or about 15 February 2025, the vessels depicted in social media reports were observed via radar and by crew members conducting regular fishing activities on the Angolan side of the border,” she explained.
No evidence was found to suggest that they had encroached into Namibian waters.
Haiphene said that the ministry will deploy advanced monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) technologies, including the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), Automatic Identification System (AIS), as well as patrol vessels and aeroplanes.
According to her, these systems play a crucial role in detecting and preventing illegal activities.
“We remain on high alert and are aware of tactics used by seafood looters, such as obscuring call signs or switching off vessel monitoring systems to evade detection,” she said.
She also said the ministry will engage with its Angolan counterpart to strengthen bilateral collaboration and enhance joint surveillance operations.
“Discussions are ongoing to improve MCS activities between our two nations, ensuring that illegal fishing is effectively deterred,” she confirmed.
Haiphene also encouraged industry stakeholders and the public to continue providing information on suspected illegal fishing activities.
“For proper investigations, we urge the public to report vessel names, identifiers, positions, activities, videos, and photographs immediately. This will enable swift action from the ministry,” she said.
