Fisheries stakeholders call for ocean ecosystem data to inform catch limits
Fisheries stakeholders in Namibia are urging the government to incorporate ocean ecosystem data, such as acidification and biodiversity changes, into the determination of Total Allowable Catch limits. Experts argue that current management approaches fail to account for environmental stressors that impact fish stock productivity.
Why it matters
Integrating climate and ecosystem data into industrial policy is critical for the long-term sustainability of food security and the blue economy.
Changes in biodiversity and ocean chemistry, including ocean acidification, are among the factors that stakeholders within Namibia’s fisheries sector want the Fisheries Ministry to consider when determining the country’s Total Allowable Catch (TAC).
This was one of several issues highlighted during the recent Fisheries Indaba, which took place in Walvis Bay and brought various stakeholders in the fisheries sector together for open discussions.
Johannes Iitembu, Associate Professor of Fisheries Science at the University of Namibia, was among those who raised concerns about the issue. He noted that, despite evidence showing the importance of the ocean ecosystem, it is overlooked when it comes to TAC input.
“In terms of policies and legislation, there is an obligation for ecosystem consideration in our management approach, but when we look at the TAC recommendations, or TAC input, there is no consideration of the ecosystem,” Iitembu said.
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