WINDHOEK, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has approved a new set of measures to reduce fishing bycatch and safeguard the country's fisheries resources, the information minister said.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform will implement various measures approved by the Cabinet to safeguard the country's marine resources, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus announced Thursday.
A central part of the new measures is a strict 2 percent bycatch threshold, Theofelus said, adding that companies exceeding this limit will be liable for bycatch fees and subject to forfeiture of their excess catch.
The Cabinet also approved an increase in bycatch percentage fees to 50 percent, up from the current 15 percent, she said.
The new measures authorize a range of escalating penalties, including temporary or permanent license revocation for habitual offenders and license suspensions, depending on the severity of violations, Theofelus said.
Authorities may confiscate fishing gear or seize the vessels, she said.
"In the event a fishing vessel exceeds bycatch limits, the excess should be deducted from its future quotas, and there should be an annual public listing of bycatch violators to discourage non-compliance," Theofelus said.
Fishing is the third-largest economic sector in Namibia, after mining and agriculture. ■