The fisheries ministry has clarified that the recent allocation of horse mackerel quota to Etosha Fishing Corporation was not a response to the recent demonstration by the company's employees.

In a statement issued on Monday, the ministry says the allocation forms part of the government's longstanding efforts to protect jobs and productive investments that remained after the collapse of Namibia's commercial pilchard fishing industry.

"The government has, over the years, facilitated access to horse mackerel quotas for Etosha Fishing Corporation to sustain employment and economic activities previously supported by the pilchard sector. As the company is not a rights holder in the horse mackerel fishery, such allocations require Cabinet approval before they can be implemented," reads the statement.

The ministry further says all processes related to the current quota allocation had already been completed before workers staged their recent protest. The ministry says Cabinet approvals were secured before the ministry received a petition from employees, allowing it to communicate its position on the matter at the time.

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The ministry reminds the public that Namibia's commercial pilchard fishery remains closed under a moratorium that has been in place since 2018 to allow fish stocks to recover. As a result, there are currently no active fishing rights in the pilchard subsector.

Despite the continued closure, the ministry says scientific assessments indicate significant improvements in the pilchard resource.

The ministry says ongoing monitoring will determine when the stock has recovered sufficiently, with any decision to reopen to be guided by scientific recommendations and sustainability considerations.

The ministry reaffirms its commitment to balancing resource conservation, employment protection, investment retention and the broader socioeconomic interests of Namibians.