The Namibian government has for many years been aware of Angolan fishing vessels in Namibian waters. Several formal complaints to Angola’s fishing authority of vessels intercepted in Namibia’s Exclusive Economic Zone have been made. In December the Angolan-flagged fishing vessel MFV Lucimar was found illegally fishing in Namibian waters close to the Angolan border. The vessel was intercepted and arrested and three of the crew including the Captain were arrested. They have applied for bail.
While there certainly appears to be effort by the Namibian authorities to step up surveillance and protection of its maritime resources, the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies says “the implementation of efforts to protect Namibia’s fisheries will be an important campaign issue in 2024.”
It also acknowledges that Namibia has been conducting joint patrols with neighbouring countries as part of the Agreement on Port State Measures and refers to Namibia as “an innovator on maritime security issues”.
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