Renthia Kaimbi
The Namibian Navy has intercepted a foreign-flagged fishing vessel suspected of illegal fishing inside Namibia’s waters.
The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs confirmed that the Namibian Navy flagship, NS Elephant, intercepted the vessel FU YUAN YU 9878 with visual call sign BZTV on 17 May during a routine patrol near Namibia’s northern maritime border with Angola.
The vessel was intercepted within Namibia’s contiguous zone and territorial waters at coordinates 17°14.98’ S, 011°32.42’ E.
According to the ministry, the vessel was found carrying a full net of unreported fish species and did not have a valid harvesting permit or quota allocation.
Authorities also accused the vessel of operating inside a restricted zone and intentionally switching off its automatic identification system.
The crew consists of 22 men, including four Chinese nationals and 18 Angolan nationals. They are expected to appear before the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on several charges.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform praised the navy’s actions and described the interception as a major achievement.
The ministry said there has been an increase in foreign fishing vessels operating near Namibia’s northern maritime border. It also acknowledged that some Namibian-flagged and licensed vessels are under investigation for illegal fishing activities.
The ministry warned that illegal fishing activities and the exploitation of Namibia’s marine resources will not be tolerated.
The government is now working with the ministries of defence and home affairs to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Fisheries Observer Agency chief executive officer Stanley Ndara said deeper regional problems continue to weaken enforcement efforts.
Speaking in his capacity as a board member of the SADC Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre, Ndara said one of the biggest problems is that the SADC Protocol on Fisheries is not legally binding on member states.
He said the region also faces serious funding and capacity shortages.
According to Ndara, many countries struggle to buy modern monitoring equipment and train law enforcement officers on legal procedures needed to support successful prosecutions.
“Without strengthened capacity, legal outcomes may be compromised, and cases could be challenged in court,” Ndara warned.
He added that fisheries-related crimes continue to include contraband smuggling, illegal immigration and forced labour.
“No country within the region is immune to these issues,” he said.
Ndara also expressed concern over foreign fishing vessels entering Namibia’s exclusive economic zone near the Angolan maritime border.
He urged Namibia to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Angola to improve border monitoring and coordinated enforcement operations.
Ndara said the signing of the SADC MCSCC host agreement in 2025 has already helped member states improve cooperation against illegal fishing.
Measures being implemented include stronger information sharing systems, vessel tracking, joint patrols and improved cross-border enforcement operations.
He said member states are also improving legal cooperation, strengthening port controls and tightening checks on flags of convenience often used in illegal fishing activities.
Ndara added that the SADC MCSCC is offering free training programmes to member states on vessel risk assessment, port state controls, law enforcement reporting and inter-agency cooperation.
“These training interventions are aimed at accelerating practical improvements in surveillance, data use, and cross-agency coordination,” Ndara said.
He said the broader goal is to strengthen regional cooperation, improve fisheries protection and support food security and economic development across Southern Africa.
