The National Fisheries Indaba at Walvis Bay has ended with key decisions to strengthen science, protect marine resources, support aquaculture and ensure more Namibians benefit from the sector.

The strength of government depends on the people who serve it. This was the message from Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare at the government's Human Resource Conference for public servants and members of the Public Service Commission.

Former learners of Festus Gonteb Primary School in Swakopmund are moving swiftly to turn the construction of a N$50 million school hall into reality.
 

Customs clearing agents in Namibia have joined forces by establishing the Customs Clearing and Brokers Association (CCBAN).

The association said this is aimed at uniting them and ensuring they have a seat at the table when decisions affecting trade are made.

Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has noted that digital reform could answer a critical question about who really benefits from the country's fish.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has cautioned that Namibia cannot bargain with nature because the future of the country's fishing industry must be decided by science, not politics.

She sent out the warning amid intensifying concerns over declining fish stocks.

Scientists are warning of an unusual outbreak of rabies among seals in the Benguela Current ecosystem, while a virus has also been found in sardines off the South African coast.

Namibia, Angola and South Africa share the Benguela Current ecosystem.

Local scientists fear that Namibia's ability to understand its changing marine ecosystems is being threatened by a lack of funding for scientific research.

Understanding changes in Namibia's marine ecosystems requires years of research, monitoring and data collection.

Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Minister Inge Zaamwani has challenged Namibia's fisheries sector to address five key questions on the protection, governance and economic value of the country's marine resources.

Namibia has enough fisheries data, but research presented at the first National Fisheries Indaba has revealed that the country is struggling to connect it into one trusted and transparent system for better decision-making.