Namibian Companies Can Fish For Tuna In Mozambiqueff

Source: All Africa

Mozambican fishing companies will be able to fish in Namibian waters, and Namibian tuna fishing companies in Mozambican waters, as from this year.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, during the state visit of Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Mozambique’s Deputy Fisheries Minister, Gabriel Muthisse, said that the government has granted Namibia an annual quota of 35,930 tons of fisheries produce.

25,000 tons of this quota is pelagic fish (including tuna, sardines and sawfish).

In the next few days, it is expected that the quota that Mozambican fishing operators can take from Namibian waters will be announced. Currently Mozambique imports from Namibia 35,000 tons of carapau (horse mackerel), which is an important source of protein for the urban population.

If these imports are substituted by the products of Mozambican fishing companies trawling in Namibia waters, Muthisse expected the price to fall.

For the Namibian side, Foreign Minister Utoni Nujoma, said he was sure that the volume of trade between Namibia and Mozambique will increase.

“Currently trade between our countries is very low, and this does not please us”, he said. “Today we are happy with the news that Mozambique has decided to attribute quotas to Namibian fishing companies, and this measure is reciprocal.”

Nujoma described the political relations between the two countries as “excellent”. He believed that progress in economic development was being made thanks to implementation of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Free Trade Area, and the memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation between Mozambique and Namibia.

At a state banquet offered on Thursday night to the Namibian leader, Guebuza said that Pohamba’s visit opens the possibility for expanding the cooperation between the two countries beyond the political and diplomatic spheres.