The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, has appealed to community members and stakeholders to help fight illegal fishing in the Zambezi Region.

Klazen and his delegation are on a four-day tour of the region to engage with various stakeholders and visit several fish farms.

These are the Likunganelo, Chata, and Imuran Fish Farms.

The delegation also visited the Katima Mulilo Open Market.

The battle for the reemployment of 1,130 unemployed fishermen who lost their jobs eight years ago could be over soon.

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, made the announcement during a media briefing at Walvis Bay.

These fishermen, who were previously employed by various fishing companies, lost their jobs as a result of their participation in an illegal strike.

Last year, Cabinet directed the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to issue a public call for competent companies that could offer permanent employment to these workers.

The annual Crayfish Festival creates a platform for the development of the domestic economy of Luderitz as well as for the fulfillment of the increasing need for intercultural dialogue. 

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, said this when he officially opened the festival. 

The annual festival that is being held this year under the theme 'Our Ocean-Our Legacy' serves as an enabler for the harbor town's economy and positions it as a tourist destination. 

Close to 700 unemployed fishermen at Walvis Bay have secured permanent and full-time jobs at four fishing companies.

This follows an agreement signed by the Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister with the companies recently.

The fishermen were part of the mass resignations witnessed at Walvis Bay in August last year.

Over 600 resigned because they were not happy with being paid the N$4,000 monthly allowance while they had no active jobs.

The Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Derek Klazen has called on local entrepreneurs and the fishing industry to add value to all their products.

Klazen visited a polystyrene manufacturing plant in Walvis Bay.

The plant is owned by the Merlus Group of Companies, which invested about N$50 million to acquire the land.

Merlus is a fishing company that processes and exports fish to the European market. 

20% of the fish is exported as fresh hake by flying it from Walvis Bay, where it arrives in Spain the next day. 

A N$70 million fish processing plant has been inaugurated by Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Derek Klazen at Walvis Bay.

The factory is the third one that the Merlus Group of Companies has set up in the harbor town.

According to the Merlus Cormorant Fishing Director, the journey of building a factory started years ago, when he merely used to buy and resell fish from his garage.

Soon after, Julio Lloves teamed up with other small companies and bought a vessel where fish was processed offshore.

The increase in the number of seals in the population threatens the fish species in the Namibian waters, hence the need to control them.

Motivating his motion in the National Assembly, RDP leader Mike Kavekotora says a balance needs to be found to protect fish species for human consumption and the conservation of seals.

Situated on the southwestern coast of Africa along the Atlantic Ocean, Namibia is one of the countries endowed with aquatic resources, predominantly fish of various types.

The Namibian government is doing all it can to address unemployment, which has become a cause for concern.

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, says people are forced to live below the standard of dignity enjoyed by those who are gainfully employed.

Klazen made these remarks at the opening of the Men on the Side of the Road (MSR) office in Kuisebmund, Walvis Bay.

Klazen says the government is aware of many young people struggling to find jobs and thus finding themselves on the streets.

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, says not all men sitting on the side of the road, attempting to look for work, are criminals.

Klazen said this at the official opening of the Men on the Side of the Road (MSR) office in Kuisebmund, Walvis Bay.

MSR was established in 2007 and has so far registered more than 2,000 members.

Late last year, some prospective employers were robbed after offering job seekers a day's work.

The fishing sector remains one of the top industries, contributing to the country's economic growth, Gross Domestic Product, and export earnings, despite hardship and a bleak financial outlook the past two years.

This was reiterated by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen, during the annual address to his staff in Windhoek.