Damian Schreiberismarine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia
Source
“Damian Schreiber, marine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia; he is involved in seal rescues, education outreach and beach clean-ups.”
Damian Schreiberismarine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia
Source
“Damian Schreiber, is a marine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia; he is involved in seal rescues, education outreach, and beach clean-ups.”
Damian Schreiberismarine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia
Source
“Damian Schreiber, marine conservation communications, field and research officer at Ocean Conservation Namibia; he is involved in seal rescues, education outreach, and beach clean-ups.”
Small-scale fishers in Namibia support more than 1,500 seasonal and full-time workers and land about 3,000 tonnes worth N$27.6 million annually, but remain overlooked in policy and lack legal recognition under the Marine Resources Act, which classifies only commercial and recreational fishers and effectively prohibits small-scale fishers from selling their catch.
Why it matters
Small-scale fishers' lack of legal recognition despite landing 3,000 tonnes annually highlights systemic marginalisation in Namibia's fishing sector.
Small-scale fishers in Namibia support more than 1,500 seasonal and full-time workers and land about 3,000 tonnes worth N$27.6 million annually, but remain overlooked in policy and lack legal recognition under the Marine Resources Act, which classifies only commercial and recreational fishers and effectively prohibits small-scale fishers from selling their catch.
A Cape Fur Seal in South Africa was confirmed infected with avian influenza in early April, marking the first recorded case of bird flu in the species. Scientists now worry the virus could spread to Namibia's seal populations through seabirds and contaminated water, especially given that seals and seabirds travel long distances along the coast between the two countries.
A female African penguin was successfully released back into the wild on Halifax Island near Lüderitz after 49 days of care by the Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds. With fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs globally and the species listed as Critically Endangered in October 2024, Namibia's penguin population has declined more than 82% since 1979.
Namibia's coastline hosts scavenging species including brown hyenas, black-backed jackals, and vultures that play vital roles in maintaining ecological balance by feeding on marine carcasses. These 'beach cleaners' prevent disease spread and facilitate nutrient exchange between ocean and land, though they also face challenges including rabies transmission and endangerment.
Warming oceans and changes in the Benguela Current ecosystem—including shifts in the Angola-Benguela Front and so-called 'Benguela Niño' events—are preventing recovery of sardine, hake, and lobster populations and endangering seabirds, putting coastal livelihoods and fishing businesses at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz at risk. Long-term research is needed to better understand these trends and adapt management to protect both wildlife and coastal communities.
Ghost gear—lost or discarded fishing equipment—persists in oceans for centuries, trapping and killing marine life including seals, dolphins, and whales. In Namibia, about half of the seals rescued by Ocean Conservation Namibia in 2025 were entangled in such gear, and globally approximately 640,000 tonnes of ghost gear enter the ocean annually, making up roughly 10% of all ocean plastic.