Still no action against Swakoppoort poachers
The Swakoppoort Dam has been systematically stripped of fish for years.Inspectors from the Ministry of Fisheries were involved in an operation together with Nampol and NamWater on 5 October where nets were removed from the dam and burned. This operation was organised so that all stakeholders could ascertain the situation at the dam and to draw up a national action plan that can be applied to dams nationwide.
According to the ministry's spokesperson, Uaripi Katjiukua, the ministry is aware of the increasing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities at inland dams, specifically at Swakoppoort.
“Inspectors carried out regular patrols and inspections. However, an increase in IUU fishing activities is still observed with elements amounting to organized fishing crime and organized IUU fishing syndicates.
“The ministry is now working with all stakeholders to develop action plans and carry out regular joint operations to crack down on these criminal networks that illegally exploit fish reserves. This so that the resources in the dams can recover.
“The dam is on NamWater's land and under its management,” she said.
Discouraging
In July, several farmers from the Tugab Concerned Farmers group who farm opposite the dam - sent a letter airing their complaints about the poachers to the managing director of NamWater, Abraham Nehemia, regional councillor of the Okahandja constituency, Bethold Tjaveondja, and Nampol's station commander on Okahandja, adj. comm. Petrus Shipepe, handed over.
The letter titled “Illegal occupation, unsustainable use and theft at the Swakoppoort Dam by intruders” points out that these three offices have been contacted since 2018, with no results.
“Our collective losses and continuous property damage by the illegal fishers are detrimental and unsustainable for our farms. We are now bringing it to your attention again and believe you have so far handled the situation with gloves, which is detrimental to us and the environment," reads the group's last letter.
“As law-abiding citizens, we have tried by all means to engage in conversation, especially with the relevant authorities such as NamWater, but in vain. Complaints to Nampol and the office of the regional council also came from dates. We want to bring it to your attention that illegal occupations and unsustainable use of land are taking place at Swakoppoort. It also extends to poaching, illegal fishing, livestock theft and criminals living there (including suspects with pending cases against them) and unsustainable use of the environment leading to the rapid decline and damage of biodiversity and environmental damage.
“We can't anymore. We are at a loss. There is no longer a single piece of game at the dam. Everything has been raided and now they are raiding the farms and nobody is doing anything. It makes one wonder who benefits from the illegal fishing and sales if no one in high positions - who have the power to stop it - does anything,” one of the farmers said.
“We plead for urgent action in the matter before any unconstitutional action is taken in restoring our rights from our limited resources.”
Even after two weeks, NamWater has not responded to questions. – [email protected]