Africa-Press – Namibia. The fisheries ministry says Walu Fishing has no legal entitlement to any fishing quota.
The ministry was responding to allegations made last week by Erna Loch, Walu’s managing director, who accused the government of failing to deliver on the core objectives of the Government Employment Redress Programme.
Loch last week lashed out at the ministry and government, saying the initiative has not provided sustainable and meaningful employment to former fishermen.
In a statement issued this week, the ministry said: “Walu Fishing Company (Pty) Ltd does not hold any fishing rights under the Marine Resources Act and, therefore, has no legal entitlement to be allocated any fishing quota”.
The ministry said Loch is a former participant in the Government Employment Redress Programme through Walu Fishing but stressed that participation in the programme does not amount to fishing rights.
According to the statement, Walu Fishing participated in the Employment Redress Programme for horse mackerel during the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons under a special arrangement aimed at safeguarding jobs in the sector.
During the 2024 season, however, the ministry said the company caused serious disruption after its employees staged demonstrations when they went unpaid for more than three months.
“Despite these challenges, the government extended an additional quota to the company as an extraordinary intervention to enable the payment of workers’ salaries,” the statement read.
The ministry said, in the 2025 fishing season, Walu Fishing was again allocated a full quota under the Employment Redress Programme for the same 225 employees but once more failed to pay workers from October onwards.
“This constituted a clear breach of the agreement,” the ministry said.
As a result, the government cancelled the contract with Walu Fishing and is currently pursuing measures to recover the value of the quota granted to the company.
For the 2026 fishing season, the ministry said there is no agreement with Walu, and the company is not eligible for any quota allocation.
“The company is not eligible for any quota allocation, and any suggestion to the contrary is false,” the ministry said.
The ministry further raised concern that Walu has reportedly been advertising employment opportunities despite having no quota, fishing rights or active agreement with the government.
“The ministry remains fully accountable and open to scrutiny,” the statement reads. “Decisions regarding the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and quota allocations are guided by scientific advice, the Marine Resources Act and cabinet decisions, not by pressure, threats or misinformation,” the ministry explained.
The ministry added that it will not compromise the sustainability of Namibia’s marine resources or the rights of law-abiding right holders.
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