The leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), McHenry Venaani, has called on President Nangolo Mbumba to look into the affairs of the fishing industry. 

Venaani made the remarks while joining the demonstration by the fishermen employed through the Government Employment Redress Programme, who handed over petitions to the Ministries of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation and that of Fisheries at Walvis Bay.

Former Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernhardt Esau has refuted claims that the fishing corruption scandal has resulted in an estimated 18 000 job losses in the fishing industry.

Esau maintained that the job losses were a result of the illegal strike the workers undertook.

At the height of the events surrounding the Fishrot scandal, fishermen who were employed by the Samherji-owned Saga Seafood, which operated from Walvis Bay, closed down.

These fishermen were subsequently robbed of their livelihood.

The Namibian government will negotiate with the fishing industry to employ more than 500 fishermen who earlier this year resigned en masse at Walvis Bay.

This was revealed by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Derek Klazen.

During his annual address in Walvis Bay, the minister stated that the government is doing everything possible to get the group of fishermen employed.

Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Derek Klazen is concerned about labour unrest in the fishing industry.

Minister Klazen was addressing union representatives and fishing industry leaders at the launch of the National Fish Consumption Day at Walvis Bay.

Klazen specifically referred to a union which allegedly convinced more than 600 workers to unlawfully resign on 29 August.

The government, after negotiating with fishing companies, managed to get the workers employed in 2020 and 2021 in exchange for fishing quotas.