The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has announced a reduction in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for hake for the 2026/2027 fishing season, dropping the quota by 17,000 metric tons from 133,000 MT to 116,000 MT.

The 13% reduction follows a Cabinet decision prompted by declining fish stocks, reinforcing a precautionary management approach to safeguard the long-term sustainability of marine resources. In contrast, the TAC for rock lobster remains unchanged at 180 metric tons.

“This reduction comes against the backdrop of declining fish stocks, necessitating a precautionary approach to fisheries management to ensure the long-term sustainability of Namibia’s marine resources,” ministerial spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, said in a statement.

According to Muyunda, in line with the government’s policy direction towards promoting greater onshore value addition, employment creation and economic beneficiation, the Ministry will consult towards the government’s long-term objective of achieving 100% wet fish allocation.

The policy direction is intended to encourage increased landings, strengthen shore-based fish processing activities, stimulate investment in local processing capacity and maximise employment opportunities for Namibians throughout the fisheries value chain, he added.

“The Ministry also informs the sector and the public that fishing right holders whose rights expire within the 2026/27 fishing season will receive prorated quota allocations corresponding to the remaining validity periods of their fishing rights. The balance of their potential allocations will not be released automatically but will be subject to the outcomes of the ongoing fishing rights evaluation process,” he noted.

Muyunda said the 2026/2027 fishing season is further characterised by a significant number of fishing rights scheduled to expire on 31 December 2026 and 31 May 2027, respectively.

The Ministry assured the industry that substantial progress has been made in evaluating the affected fishing rights.

“It is anticipated that the evaluation process will be concluded and the outcomes communicated to the respective right holders before the expiry of their rights. We therefore appeal to the fishing industry to exercise patience and understanding as we navigate the challenges associated with declining fish stocks while ensuring that the allocation process remains transparent, fair and consistent with the applicable legal framework.”

Furthermore, Muyunda said that, with the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and its potential impact on the availability and supply of meat products, the Ministry encourages the fishing industry to prioritise and increase the supply of fish to the domestic market.

“Fish remains an important and nutritious alternative source of animal protein, particularly during periods when the supply of other protein sources may be constrained,” he concluded.