Walvis Bay — Workers should not only watch others benefit from Namibia's fishing resources while they remain employees with little security and protection.
They too want a stake in the industry, with decent jobs, social protection and greater accountability forming part of changes they want to see in the sector.
These concerns came up during a panel discussion at the National Fisheries Indaba in Walvis Bay over the weekend.
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The indaba forms part of a much bigger process that started in April when President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah met fishing industry stakeholders over concerns facing the sector and its workers.
As a result, a consultant was appointed, through which a task force and seven technical working groups were subsequently established to look at the challenges and possible solutions.
Trade unionist Joseph Garoeb said workers have for years watched others benefit from the resource while their participation largely remained limited to being employees.
"We don't want to be employed anymore. We are also saying it's time that we should also partake equally in the resource," he said.
Garoeb said transformation should also look at who receives fishing quotas and how ordinary Namibians benefit from them.
According to him, political connections, veteran status or affiliations should not determine who benefits from the resource.
"We are Namibians. We should appoint ourselves as Namibians. We must start to say, when do we start to benefit every Namibian?" he said. According to him, workers' participation does not necessarily mean every worker should become a fishing rights holder.
However, it should be decent work that provides job creation, job security, social protection and gives workers a voice in decisions that affect them.
Armando Pieters, who was also part of the panel discussions, said the responsibility of those benefiting from fishing resources should also go beyond paying tax.
According to him, companies have a responsibility to create employment and be transparent about how they operate.
"Even creating one job is a contribution towards the country," he said. Adding that accountability should also be seen in how companies treat their workers and the relationship they have with their employees.
According to him, the size of a fishing quota should therefore not be used as an excuse to avoid these responsibilities.
Information remains a struggle.
Journalist Ester Mbathera said another challenge is getting basic information about the fishing industry. She said journalists have struggled for years to access information about fishing rights holders and decisions affecting the sector.
"The issue around access to information, especially about the fishing sector, is so entrenched. It's so difficult to get such information," Mbathera said.
She added that information that should be publicly available often has to be obtained through other people. This includes information about fishing rights that are coming to an end this year and next year.
Mbathera said the same applies to governmental objective quotas, where the public should be able to understand who benefits and why.
"Sometimes we just want to know. When you put a governmental objective quota up for auction, explain to us what it is for. And that is not for the media; it's for the nation," she said.
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Young people at the discussion also questioned how they are expected to participate in the fishing industry when they do not know where to find information about opportunities.
Youth participant Komeni /Neis said young people are willing to participate but need platforms where they can learn about the industry. "What part can the youth play when no knowledge or communication is being provided?" she asked.
What is more, Mbathera said the event revealed how lack of information can keep people away from opportunities.
She said participants learnt that funding opportunities are available through Agribank, yet some people who could potentially benefit from such funding did not know about them. She said young people also need simple information on how to enter the fishing industry, including what is required to become a rights holder or start a business.
