Mr. Stephen Adkisson, Programme Officer, UNICEF, Windhoek
Dr. O.S. Ahmed, FAO Representative, Windhoek
Mr. A.R. Bermann, Director, TNP Fishing (Pty) Ltd., Windhoek
Mr. Pierre Birkenstock, Babalela Project, Harare
Ms. Cioffi, Commercial Attache, Italian Embassy, Windhoek
Mr. Leslie Clark, FAO Special Adviser, MFMR, Windhoek
Mr. Rod Davis, Asst. Dir. Agriculture, The Rossing Foundation, Windhoek
Mr. de Klerk, Fisherman, Winkhoek
Mr. John R. Graham, Country Representative, Oxfam Canada, Windhoek
Mr. Clinton Hay, Fisheries Biologist, Freshwater Fish Institute, Hardap
Mr. J.D. Jurgens, Director, Resource Management, MFMR, Windhoek
Mr. Len le Roux, Deputy Director, The Rossing Foundation, Windhoek
Mr. D. Malithano, Programme Officer, FAOR, Windhoek
Mr. S.Tsh. Negumbo, Deputy Director, Directorate of Rural Development, MAWRD, Windhoek
Mr. Nepara, Head, Dept of Water Affairs, Oshakati
Mr. Andreas Ngulu, Fisheries Technician, RDC, Oshakati
Mr. Jan Oelofse, Owner, Mt. Etjo Farm, Kalkfeld
Dr. B.W. Oelofsen, Chief Marine Research, MFMR, Windhoek
Mr. Arild R. Oyen, Counsellor, NORAD, Windhoek
Mr. David D. Rimmer, Acting Project Director and Water Development Manager, Rural Development
Centre, Oshakati
Mr. Sten Rylander, Swedish Ambassador, Windhoek
Mr. D.V.C. Wessels, Inflasie Vleismark, Windhoek
| Tue 04 May: | Travel Harare/Lusaka-Windhoek by air; meeting with FFI. |
| Wed 05 May: | Travel Windhock-Oshakati by road; visit to RDC aquaculture centre. |
| Thu 06 May: | Visits to oshanas, markets and DOWA in Owambo; visit to Rossing Foundation Agricultural Training Centre, Okashana; travel Okashana-Otjiwarongo by road. |
| Fri 07 May: | Visits to reservoirs at Mt. Etjo, Omatako, van Boch, Goreangob on way from Otjiwarongo to Windhoek by road; meeting with Director, Resource Management, MFMR. |
| Sat 08 May: | Travel Windhoek-Mariental by road; visits to Oanob Dam and Hardap Dam; work at FFI. |
| Sun 09 May: | Visit to Hardap Irrigation Scheme; review of documents and report writing. |
| Mon 10 May: | Work at FFI; travel Mariental-Windhoek by road; meetings at FAOR and MFMR. |
| Tue 11 May: | Meetings at FAOR, MAWRD, SIDA, NORAD; review of documents. |
| Wed 12 May: | Meetings at FAOR, MFMR, several NGOs; report writing. |
| Thu 13 May: | Meeting at UNICEF; report writing. |
| Fri 14 May: | Wrap-up meetings with FAOR, MFMR; travel Windhoek-Harare by air. |
Allocation of fishing rights has been done on a tender basis. The person with the highest offer got the fishing right. The question of allowing fishing has been controversial due to DOWA fear of negative influence on the water quality.
Hardap Dam: Mr Deklerk
Mr Deklerk fished Hardap dam for three years. His levy to the state was 51c per kilo, and his fishing quota was 145 tons per year.
He had several initial investments like power supply (R30 000), cold room (R30000), boat (20000), nets (R 10 000) and a building. He also needed a truck and a sealed container for transport of fish. the second hand value of these assets after three years is very low.
Seven workers were employed full time and payed about R 300 a month each. The fishing effort was 7–8 gill nets (90–115 mm mesh size) 100 m length each.
Important variable costs were packing material for the fish and petrol for the boat and the truck.
It soon became obvious that the fishing quota could not be taken out with this effort. At the maximum Deklerk took out 1300 kg per day, but there were variations from day to day and over the year. He managed to take out approximately 40 tons per year, but after three years yields dropped. In three years he took out 115 tons.
Catches consisted of 10% bream, less than 5% catfish and the rest (85%) was mudfish (labeo). He tried to catch more catfish by using long lines, but did not find this worthwhile considering the amount of fuel used to set the lines.
Mudfish was very hard to sell. He tried all over Namibia and also outside the country, and could only sell it at a relatively low price of R 1.6/kg, and on the condition that the buyers also got some bream for the same price.
He estimates his loss on the fishing at about R 100 000, and would not recommend it to anybody else. He does not think it is possible to fish the state dams in an economically sound way.
Omatako Dam: Mr Wessels
Fished Omatako Dam for 6–10 weeks during March–April. His levy to the state was 15 c/kg.
He already possessed most of the equipment he needed, but if one were to start without it one would need a big truck with cooling facilities (R 100 000), a small dingy with engine (R 12000), hooks, floats and lines for long lines (R 5000).
Five workers and a manager were employed on the project. Variable costs were packing and fuel for transport.
He started the fishing using beach seines, but realized that long lines were more efficient, and used 10 lines, 200 m each with 100 hooks each.
The catch was 90 % barbel and 10 % others, and all in all they caught 12 tons, before fishing was stopped due to drop in catches to about a ton a week. The fish was sold in his own shop in Windhoek at the same price as sea fish (R 1.50/kg). The catfish was popular with the customers and Mr Wessels had no difficulties getting rid of it at the price he charged.
All in all he estimates he lost some money on the experiment, but he thinks it is possible to fish the state dams in an economically viable way. With a mobile unit and a concession to fish several major dams costs could be cut down. The state levy, if any at all, would need to be low.
He is also of the opinion that people living around the dams would fish if they were allowed to. Some infrastructure facilities, such as a delivery facility, would give the fisheries a fillip, besides creating jobs.
Freshwater fish will have to compete with sea fish. It may be possible to take a slightly higher price, especially in the northern areas where people prefer freshwater fish, but the price difference cannot be substantial.
