Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Abraham Iyambo of Namibia

We will overcome the hump," Abraham Iyambo said in a rather subdued tone.

Iyambo said his ministry would consistently combat illegal fishing and the plundering of Namibia's fish resources.

Iyambo said the site has potential for commercial investment, as it has plenty of water and natural ponds with reeds, which are suitable for fish farming.

Iyambo said it was the responsibility of shareholders to get more involved in the industry because the idea of empowerment included far more than just receiving payments when the company generated income.

The Namibian    12/02/2005 12:41:47 Namibiawoos aquaculture investors Tonderai Katswara Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Abraham Iyambo says the country's aquaculture projects have progressed and developed significantly, turning into a solid base since a law was put in place to implement the national aquaculture policy in 2002.

In an interview with The Namibian ahead of the Aquaculture Investors Conference scheduled for next week, Iyambo said taking into consideration the strides made in aquaculture, it was imperative that both local and international investors focused on Namibia's aquaculture products.

Commenting on the tour whose main objective was to assess the situation on the ground, Iyambo said he was impressed with what was happening at the various fish farms, especially the profitable harvests that in turn were financially assisting co-operatives and communities, especially in the Omusati Region.

Iyambo said he was particularly impressed by rural communities who had taken it upon themselves to breed fish in watercourses close to them.

Iyambo said one of the major problems facing aquaculture was a lack of fish feed, which was imported mostly from South Africa.

Iyambo said the country produced 100 000 metric tonnes of fish meal in Walvis Bay which was exported mainly to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and China, only to be bought from South Africa with additives which then formed the necessary fish feed.

Despite the lack of in detail scientific information on what causes a jellyfish population to increase, Iyambo says it is assumed that climatic change and alterations in the ecosystem stimulate population growth.

Iyambo said investigations of the Erongo operated marine fishing vessels Lazurnyy and Zamoskvorechye will continue while they may utilize their vessels in the meantime.

I believe that we should accept short-lived pain to get long-term gains, Iyambo said.

Fisheries and marine resources Minister Abraham Iyambo said Tuesday that official communication from Mozambique would determine the future of Antillas Reefer, the vessel which was seized for illegal fishing in Mozambican waters.

Iyambo said that the owners of the vessel informed the Namibian government that it would dry-dock in Durban and would depart to Mozambique to catch the quota for its partners.

At the conference, Iyambo said the establishment of the Commission and the signing of the Interim Agreement in August 2006 in South Africa marked a milestone towards transboundary fisheries management and environmental protection in the three countries.

Iyambo said it was important that these countries were thinking of an African agenda in fisheries governance.

Abraham Iyambo said government would buy fish from local fishing companies as many of them expressed willingness to sell their product at a reduced price.

Describing the Namibian aquaculture industry as an infant with a promise, Iyambo said the sector holds potential for new businesses, such as pharmaceutical, construction, fish feed production and vegetable/crop growing.

Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Dr Abraham Iyambo said on Friday that Government is speeding up the process.

Iyambo says Litapi fish farm is in danger as it is completely surrounded by water.

Namibia should take advantage of that opportunity, Iyambo said.

Iyambo said previously, the country relied on outside laboratories to conduct testing, an exercise which was costly and time consuming.

We have signed a commitment agreement that entails the establishment of a regional task force, a regional monitoring, control and surveillance centre, stiff penalties for vessels caught with illegal catches and to prohibit such vessels to enter our ports, Namibias Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Abraham Iyambo said in Windhoek on Friday.

Iyambo said illegal fishing deprived the countries of taxes, port fees and jobs that would otherwise have been created in fish processing.