Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Stanley Ndara said the exclusion keeps happening and affects coordination and effectiveness
“Yes, they apologised, but this keeps happening. It affects coordination and the effectiveness of the observer programme.”
Fisheries Observer Agency snubbed at Walvis Bay talksThe Namibian
Stanley Ndara says the Ministry had been notified months before the board's term expired
“FOA chief executive officer (CEO) Stanley Ndara says the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform had been notified months before the board's term expired.”
Fisheries agency unsupervised for six monthsThe SADC renewed the board of directors of the Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre in Maputo, retaining Namibia's Stanley Ndara as chairperson for a second term. The board's priorities include strengthening the centre's sustainability, reducing donor reliance, and rolling out a Regional Register of Fishing Vessels.
2 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The SADC renewed the board of directors of the Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre in Maputo, retaining Namibia's Stanley Ndara as chairperson for a second term. The board's priorities include strengthening the centre's sustainability, reducing donor reliance, and rolling out a Regional Register of Fishing Vessels.
2 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Stanley Ndara, chief executive of Namibia's Fisheries Observer Agency, has been reappointed as chairperson of the SADC Regional Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre for a second term. SADC ministers responsible for fisheries made the decision at a meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on 29 May.
1 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Stakeholders warn that existing penalties are failing to deter illegal fishing in Namibian waters, following the interception of a vessel with 22 crew members and amid concerns over losses from bycatch, which increased sharply since 2020 despite monitoring systems in place.
21 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Pilchard bycatch has risen sharply from 608 tonnes in 2020 to more than 11,000 tonnes in both 2024 and 2025, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform warning that increasing bycatch could threaten marine biodiversity and fish stocks if not properly managed.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The government may have lost N$157.5 million from 17,500 tonnes of hake caught as bycatch by 15 horse mackerel freezer trawlers in 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture has admitted that current penalties may not be stopping repeat offenders, with hake bycatch in the horse mackerel fishery increasing sharply from 3,203 tonnes in 2020 to 17,500 tonnes in 2025.
10 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Regional fisheries experts have warned that Namibia's outdated fisheries legislation and weak penalties are undermining efforts to combat illegal fishing despite the country's relatively strong monitoring systems. The experts called for stronger evidence-gathering practices, updated laws with meaningful deterrents, and regional cooperation to close legal and enforcement gaps.
4 March 2026 · New Era →
The Fisheries Observer Agency was left out of Ministry of Agriculture consultations on proposed fisheries regulations in Walvis Bay, with the agency only contacted after proceedings began. The FOA chief executive says the exclusion reflects a pattern of deliberate sidelining, though the ministry describes it as an oversight and says the agency was later welcomed to participate.
13 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Fisheries Observer Agency has operated without a board since August 2025, limiting management oversight and decision-making authority. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform was notified months in advance but has not appointed a replacement board, hampering the agency's ability to approve budgets, strategic plans, and review landed values.
11 February 2026 · The Namibian →