Namsov fishing vessels. (Photo Credit: Namsov Fishing Enterprises)

Three fishing firms take Govt to Court

NAMIBIA
Monday, September 08, 2014, 02:40 (GMT + 9)

Three fishing companies have taken Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources as well as the government to Court over fishing quota cut.

According to Court documents Namsov Fishing Enterprises, Emeritus Fishing Limited and Atlantic Harvesters of Namibia Limited demand that the fisheries minister should be “ordered to implement and take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that his decision to award the quotas (from the 2014 total allowable catch) to the applicants” is given immediate effect, The Namibian reported.

Through these documents Namsov is demanding 13,337 tonnes; Emeritus Fishing Limited, 2,238 tonnes; and the third applicant, Atlantic Harvesters of Namibia Limited, 2,555 tonnes.

The hearings will take place in the High Court on 9 October.

Whereas Namsov’s attorney confirmed his client’s urgent application, Fisheries Minister Bernard Esau commented he had not received any court application against his ministry.

The Namibian informed that its urgent application was prompted by the laying off of 120 workers from Trachurus Fishing, a subsidiary of Namsov Fishing Enterprises due to the company’s quota reduction.

For his part, by the end of last month Daniel Imbili, president of the Namibia Fishing Industries and Fishermen Workers Union, and Bidvest Namibia chief executive officer, Sebby Kankondi, confirmed the lay offs and the reduction of the quota.

In its annual report released last week, Bidvest Namibia states that if the current situation is not resolved urgently, fishing businesses are likely to perform poorly in the next six months. 

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