NAMIBIAFriday, May 30, 2014
HENTIES BAY - Namibia must invest in aquaculture and marine farming to ease the country's dependency on seawater fishing, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Samuel Ankama says.
Ankama, who was attending an Aquaculture and Marine Development Summit in this coastal city on Tuesday the 27th of May 2014, told Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) in an interview that developing and investing more in aquaculture is crucial to ensure that seawater resources do not become depleted.
"Mariculture and aquaculture involves renewable resources, unlike fishing in natural waters where you have no control on the reproduction of fish and other edible aquatic species. That's why we need to develop our own marine farms and avoid losing jobs should the fish become depleted in our waters," he said.
He said that the development of more fish farms in the country will provide further jobs, ensure sufficient production of fish for food security and boost the economy.
"If we rely too much on natural oceanic resources, they will deplete one day and we will end up with nothing. Imagine how many people will lose jobs if the fishing industries take a break for the next 10 to 20 years to allow for fish reproduction," the deputy minister said.
He further encouraged farming with Tilapia, as this species enjoys a high market demand in the world.
Some Tilapia fish farms are found at the Omahenene Fish Project and Olushandja Dam in the Omusati Region, as well as Keetmanshoop and Mariental in the Karas and Hardap regions.