THE Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is considering not granting a pelagic quota next year, even though the full quota was caught by the end of the season in August this year. The total allowable catch (TAC) for the past season was 10 000 tons. The season started very slowly with only 700 tons caught by May, but started to pick up in the last three months of the season. The Pelagic Industry Association confirmed that the full quota was caught by the end of August. The Ministry’s scientists are carrying out a survey on the young fish and will do another at the end of January and in early February next year. Minister Abraham Iyambo said that data has consistently shown the stock level is quite low and that it is unlikely to improve. A moratorium on the quota could mean the 2 000 to 3 000 jobs currently sustained by the industry would be lost. – The Namibian
Monday October 29, 2001