Joint sea patrol nets 32t of fish, detects 12 infractions

Namibia and South Africa’s first bilateral joint sea-based fisheries patrol recorded 94 vessel sightings, detected 12 suspected fisheries infractions and seized about 32 tonnes of fish during a 25-day operation.Officials say its lessons must now translate into stronger enforcement and tangible improvements in fisheries monitoring.“These recommendations should not remain on paper; they should become part of our operational improvement programme,” Namibian national controller Rosalia Mupetami said.She said the lessons should translate into better planning, targeting, stronger enforcement, improved skills and more effective monitoring.The operation, conducted from 5 to 30 September, covered 2 945 nautical miles during 496 hours at sea and stretched from Walvis Bay through Namibia’s southern exclusive economic zone (EEZ) into South African waters as far as Cape Point before returning through Namibian waters.Mupetami said 12 fishing vessels were boarded and inspected, five fines were issued, one case docket was opened and one fishing vessel was detained and arrested.One set of non-compliant fishing gear was confiscated, while 76 foreign fishing vessels were monitored while transiting through the South African EEZ. Eight foreign fishing vessels submitted innocent passage notifications.The figures were released on Wednesday during the closing ceremony of the Namibia-South Africa Joint Sea-Based Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Operation at the ministerial jetty in Walvis Bay.The patrol was carried out aboard Namibia’s fisheries patrol vessel, Anna Kakurukaze Mungunda, with an all-Namibian crew.Fisheries law enforcement officers from both countries worked together aboard the vessel, while shore-based teams supported the operation through monitoring and intelligence.South Africa deployed four officers aboard the vessel and another two to Namibia’s Fisheries Monitoring Centre, where they worked on intelligence gathering, vessel tracking and providing real-time information to personnel at sea.The operation combined physical patrols and vessel boardings with vessel monitoring systems, automatic identification systems, radar surveillance, operational intelligence and risk profiling.Mupetami said this became particularly important when strong winds, rough seas and high waves in South African waters made physical boardings unsafe.Instead of losing sight of fishing activity during these periods, monitoring continued electronically through shore-based systems and intelligence gathering.Interceptions, arrestsOne fishing vessel was detected after authorities identified an anomaly involving failures in its vessel monitoring system transmissions. The risk was assessed and information was sent to the patrol vessel, which located and intercepted the vessel before escorting it to port.The vessel was arrested and a mediation settlement was subsequently concluded.Mupetami said the importance of the operation extended beyond the number of vessels inspected or infractions detected.“Success must increasingly be measured by our ability to identify compliance risks, target resources effectively and achieve meaningful enforcement outcomes.”She said detection alone did not protect fisheries resources, with enforcement needing to result in accountability.Future operations should therefore strengthen coordination between fisheries inspectors, investigators, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, harbour authorities and fisheries managers.Clearer processes are also needed for case referrals, evidence requirements, seizures and prosecution to ensure cases move effectively from detection and investigation to enforcement and eventual prosecution, settlement or resolution.First-of-its-kindThe operation also served as practical training for inspectors from both countries, who gained experience in boarding procedures, fishing gear examinations, documentation verification, catch inspections, evidence collection and risk-based decision-making.The joint operation followed a fisheries and aquaculture cooperation agreement signed by Namibia and South Africa on 21 January 2019. The operation was described as the first of its kind between the two countries under the bilateral arrangement.The MCS subcommittee has resolved to make the joint patrol an annual operation, with South Africa expected to take the lead next year aboard its fisheries patrol vessel, the Sarah Baartman.Mupetami said a comprehensive report and recommendations would now be submitted to the leadership of the joint MCS structure.“The operation is complete. The lessons have been captured. The work of strengthening our MCS system continues,” Mupetami said.

Joint sea patrol nets 32t of fish, detects 12 infractions

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-06

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Joint sea patrol nets 32t of fish, detects 12 infractions

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-06

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