Erongo Marine allowed to fish during lockdown

FISHERIES executive director Moses Maurihungirire has defended his decision to allow Erongo Marine Enterprises to fish from the ocean despite a ban on fishing imposed three weeks ago.

Maurihungirire confirmed to The Namibian last week that the government had allowed the company to operate at sea.

Until last week, the fishing sector was only allowed to carry out vessel and fishing factory maintenance.

But Maurihungirire allowed Erongo Marine Enterprises to fish while all other companies were barred.

This attracted criticism from industry sources who questioned why the company was getting special treatment.

Maurihungirire said fisheries minister Albert Kawana appealed to health minister Kalumbi Shangula two weeks ago to classify fishing as an essential service.

“The ministry of health was fully satisfied with the health measures taken by the freezer vessels,” he said.

According to Maurihungirire, the economic committee, which consists of finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi and Kawana, decided to convey the message to fishing companies with freezer vessels while mechanisms for wet and onshore operations were still being finalised.

“During that time, Erongo Marine Enterprises had written to the ministry seeking permission to go fishing and only come back after the lockdown as their staff were on the vessel for more than 14 days and were not allowed to come onshore,” Maurihungirire said.

“We thus went ahead to allow the Erongo Marine Enterprises freezer vessel to the fishing grounds as they were certified by the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade as an essential service to operate under strict measures set by the ministry of health,” Maurihungirire said.

This was done at the time Kawana was pleading with the health minister to allow fishing companies to go back to work to avoid economic disaster.

It turns out the fishing industry raised red flags about the plan to allow fishing companies back at sea. Maurihungirire said: “As the rest of the freezer vessels were to be informed, some of the workers’ unions complained they were not involved in the formulation of measures under which the vessels and processing facilities should operate during the lockdown period.”

These objections led to the pausing of the plan that would have allowed freezer vessels of companies back at sea.

He said the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (CNFA), workers’ unions and the fisheries ministry played a key role in the formulation of the measures which were presented to the committee of ministers.

Maurihungirire, who has been the executive director at fisheries since 2015, has remained untouched despite being the main administrator at a ministry at the centre of the Fishrot scandal.

Erongo Marine Enterprises managing director Martha Uumati yesterday denied allegations that the company was getting favours.

“I would like to make it categorically clear there was no preferential treatment in allowing one of our vessels, Desert Jewel, to continue fishing during the lockdown,” she told The Namibian.

She admitted their vessel was allowed at sea despite the ban, but insisted it was because their company was proactive.

“I initiated a conversation with the Horse Mackerel Association and all the horse mackerel operators, calling on them to be proactive in safeguarding our employees and mitigating the impact on the industry,” Uumati said.

She said: “In my view, I do not see where any favouritism comes into play. It will be interesting to know which other company has been proactive to the extent of Erongo Marine Enterprises, and also which other company has or had any crews in quarantine before they joined their vessels.”