Small pelagics market update in Namibia

The purse-seine fishery of Namibia consists largely of horse mackerel and pilchards. The latter are mainly canned within Namibia and in South Africa, and are also destined for the South African and UK markets, reports Globefish, a unit of the FAO Fisheries Department responsible for information on international fish trade.

The purse-seine fishery of Namibia consists largely of horse mackerel (Trachurus capensis) and pilchards (Sadinops sagax). The latter are mainly canned within Namibia and in South Africa, and are also destined for the South African and UK markets. The former are chiefly distributed to the African markets (with bulk exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)). A significant volume of horse mackerel as well as anchovy is converted into fishmeal.

Pilchard landings, despite a quite considerable biomass increase, the pilchard fish stock is still in a critical condition, when compared with historical levels. Hence the government has set up stringent measures and management plans for the pilchard sector, which, it is believed, will lead to the long term sustainability of the stock. This includes limiting pilchard by-catch in all other fishing industries to no more than three percent of total landings.

In 2007, more than 50 percent of the total pilchard catch was from by-catch. The 2008 survey revealed a 55 percent total biomass increase when compared with 2007. The pilchard TAC for 2006 was 25 000 tonnes but dwindling stocks resulted in a reduction of 15 000 tonnes for 2007 and remained the same in 2008. In the 2009 fishing season the TAC improved slightly to 17 000 and further to 25 000 tonnes in 2010. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.