Africa-Press – Namibia. THE minister of fisheries and marine resources, Derek Klazen, together with the deputy minister of labour, industrial relations and employment creation, Hafeni Ndemula, are meeting union leaders, employee representatives and the management of Gendev Fisheries and Princess Brand Processing at Walvis Bay on Friday.
Klazen said the purpose of the meeting is to consult the companies on their petition to the two ministries and the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations last week.
The two companies operate land-based companies for wet landed horse mackerel fish species.
They employ about 1 600 people.
Horse mackerel catches have dwindled this year due to cold conditions at sea which has pushed the fish inside the warmer 200 metre isobath restricted fishing grounds.
The employees petitioned the fisheries ministry to demand that their companies be allowed to fish up to 170 metres in the restricted isobath.
Klazen said to avert job losses, he was instructed by the Cabinet to consult the sector to find a middle ground.
“The ministry of labour doesn’t want to see anybody on the streets, similarly with fisheries. Cabinet was quite clear that we must consult the industry before we allow any experimental activities,” he said.
While at the coast, the two ministries will also renew designation agreements with the hake fishing companies that absorbed some of the fishermen who lost their jobs due to quota cuts and the Fishrot scandal.
Klazen said the purpose of the meeting is to consult the companies on their petition to the two ministries and the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations last week.
The two companies operate land-based companies for wet landed horse mackerel fish species.
They employ about 1 600 people.
Horse mackerel catches have dwindled this year due to cold conditions at sea which has pushed the fish inside the warmer 200 metre isobath restricted fishing grounds.
The employees petitioned the fisheries ministry to demand that their companies be allowed to fish up to 170 metres in the restricted isobath.
Klazen said to avert job losses, he was instructed by the Cabinet to consult the sector to find a middle ground.
“The ministry of labour doesn’t want to see anybody on the streets, similarly with fisheries. Cabinet was quite clear that we must consult the industry before we allow any experimental activities,” he said.
While at the coast, the two ministries will also renew designation agreements with the hake fishing companies that absorbed some of the fishermen who lost their jobs due to quota cuts and the Fishrot scandal.
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