Aquaculture in Namibia

General Profile of NAMIBIA

Total land area of 825,418 sq km Length of coastline – 1572 km Population estimated at 2.2 million (2012) 33% of the population live in urban areas 67 % live in rural areas Climate: semi-desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic. Has four perennial rivers along its borders; three in the

north (Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi Rivers) and one in the south (Orange River).

Is bordered on its west by the Atlantic Ocean. Divided into 14 regions

Mandate of Ministry of Fisheries To responsibly and sustainably develop aquaculture to

achieve socio-economic benefits for all Namibians and to secure environmental sustainability

Vision The vision of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine

Resources is for Namibia to be a leading fishing nation with a well-developed aquaculture industry.

Mission Responsibly manage living aquatic resources

continuously ensure a conducive environment for the fishing and aquaculture sector to prosper

INTRODUCTION TO NAMIBIAN AQUACULTURE

Namibian government identified aquaculture as a prime priority development area.

Sector holds potential for new businesses such as pharmaceuticals, construction, fish feed production, and vegetable/crop growing

Several policies/legislation put in place to ensure a thriving and healthy aquaculture industry

Started in the (1980’s) with tilapia, carp and bass on a small scale.

Mid-eighties first large scale fish breeding and farming realized at the Hardap dam.

October 2003 the Namibian government established a Directorate of Aquaculture under the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources

Main objective: The responsible and sustainable development

of this sector to achieve socio-economic benefits for all Namibians and to secure environmental sustainability for all investors

THE IMPORTANCE OF AQUACULTURE IN NAMIBIA

Two parts: Mariculture and Freshwater fish farming

Freshwater aquaculture boosts food security in both the rural and urban areas

Reduce the pressure on natural stocks Fish farming alleviates poverty and creates

employment Mariculture contributes to foreign exchange

earnings

Aquaculture Potential in Namibia

• Conducive environment

• Legal framework and Policy in place

• Untapped resources

• Political stability

• Good infrastructure

• Political will

Investing in Namibian Aquaculture • Legal instruments: Aquaculture Act of 2002; Aquaculture Licensing Regulations;

Namibia’s Aquaculture Policy: Towards Responsible Development of Aquaculture; Aquaculture Import and Export Regulations and the Food safety / quality assurance regulations

Institutional Arrangements: Ministry of Fisheries plays a key role as primary agency

promoting aquaculture. The Aquaculture Advisory Council – conducts investigations and

provides advice to the Minister on aquaculture related matters The Inter-Ministerial Committee – facilitates the issuing of

aquaculture licences Namibian Standards Institute (NSI)

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES INLAND FISHERIES &

AQUACULTURE

1. Research (River, lake, dams based and Aquaculture – new species)

2. Extension Services – fish farming

3. Training 4. Fish Breeding

(hatcheries) 5. Data recording and

interpretation 11

MARICULTURE COASTAL

1. Disease monitoring 2. Water quality monitoring 3. Extension Services 4. Regulating Import /

Exports of aquaculture products

5. Shellfish sanitation and Monitoring

6. Research: species/ tolerance levels

Mariculture in Namibia A commercial industry focusing on high value species Central and southern coasts of Namibia Species farmed: Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), European oyster

(Ostrea edulis), Abalone (Haliotis midae), Scallops (Pectin spp), Clams (Venerupis spp) and Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Types of culture systems: Oysters: baskets suspended from rafts, long lines, on-

shore raceways and ponds Abalone: in land-based tanks

In Namibia the entire coastal aquaculture industry is presently based on molluscan shellfish

In Namibia shellfish are the main aquaculture product from the sea

Superb water quality

Upwelling system provides non-stop high primary production for filter feeding bivalves (oysters, mussels, clams)

No pollution of the coastal waters

Rapid growth Grow to market size within 8 months

Sea Temperature range (12º – 20º C) allows year-round growth and harvesting

Infrastructure for seafood processing and packaging is in place

Excellent quality oysters are farmed – Namibia has productive advantages for mariculture development

Monitoring capacity has been enhanced by the acquisition of a skiboat “Noctiluca” to sample

inshore water quality of the coastline - e.g. HABs, phytoplankton,

oxygen

Alexandrium /saxitoxins/PSP

Pseudo-nitzschia/domoic acid/ASP

Dinophysis/ okadaic acid/DSP

Aquaculture staff sampling every 2 weeks

FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE Primarily community based with an emphasis on

promoting food security, creating employment and generating income for the community members

Permanent rivers such as the Zambezi, Okavango, Kunene and Orange Rivers as well as a number of lakes and reservoirs provide excellent potential for freshwater culture development

Species farmed: Includes the three spotted tilapia (Oreochromis

andersonii), red-breasted tilapia (Tilapia rendalii), mosambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and the common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

TYPES OF CULTURE SYSTEMS USED

Current pilot projects use the pond culture system Commercial culture of tilapia utilizes the freshwater

recirculation tank system Community-based subsistence farming of tilapia

utilizes the earthen pond culture system

KAMUTJONGA INLAND FISHERIES INSTITUTE (KIFI)

KAVANGO REGION CORE FUNCTIONS:

• Research; • Breeding- Fingerling production; • Training; • Archive/data base; • Extension/outreach;

ONAVIVI - FISH FEED PLANT OMUSATI REGION

Onavivi Fish Feed Plant constructed and

operational

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Onavivi Fish Feed Plant

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Decentralised Extension Services

GOVERNMENT INITIATED PILOT PROJECTS

Four community-based pilot freshwater fish farms Inland capture fisheries and freshwater aquaculture are

currently underdeveloped but serve primarily as contributors to food security and income generation in rural households

The aquaculture sector employed about 683 people in 2008 and increased to 1100 in 2010

Production of Tilapia (Oreochromis andersonii) and Catfish (grow-out)

THREATHS

Environmental - HAB’s, floods, drought Market access – strict EU regulations (expensive) Access to suitable land and water Access to funding (no collateral) Introduction of alien species Cost of fish feed, energy Climate change

GREEN OPPORTUNITIES

Use of solar power Use of solar water pumps Alternative feed sources rather than fishmeal Use indigenous fish species Integrated fish farming practices

SUSTAINABILITY !!

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