ZAMBEZI: The Ministries of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Environment, Forestry and Tourism have procured six patrol boats for deployment across conservancies with fisheries reserves in the Zambezi Region. These boats, valued at N. dollars 2.5 million, were purchased this financial year to help enforce the Inland Fisheries Resources Act and promote sustainable fisheries management.
According to Namibia News Agency, Bright Sanzila, the project coordinator for Community Livelihood Development and Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in the Zambezi Region, confirmed the active deployment of the patrol boats. He stated that the Ministries, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, are collaborating to ensure local communities benefit from natural resources, linking these efforts to poverty reduction initiatives. “The boats are actively ensuring a safe environment, crime prevention, community engagement, investigation of offenses, and most importantly, running awareness campaigns on right and wrong practices,” Sanzila sai
d.
The six patrol boats have been stationed across the Salambala, Mayuni, Kwando, Nakabolelwa, Kabulabula, and Sikunga conservancies. In addition to the boats, 16 new bicycles have been provided to facilitate patrols in areas not accessible by watercraft. Zambezi Governor Lawrence Sampofu has underscored the importance of land and river patrols in fighting illegal fishing activities in the region.
During his State of the Region Address in August, Governor Sampofu highlighted the impact of these patrols, noting that 147 fines were issued to offenders compared to 111 last year. Furthermore, nine case dockets were opened against 23 Zambian nationals and three Namibians for breaches of the Inland Fisheries Act and its 2003 regulations.
