The report, published on 23 November 2023 highlights the importance of marine recreational fishing in Namibia, which attracts thousands of local and foreign anglers annually, contributing significantly to the economy with direct expenditures estimated at N$1 billion. As Namibia develops its Blue Economy Policy, there is a need for evidence to guide sustainable resource management within the exclusive economic zone. The report notes that while there is a willingness among anglers to accept modest increases in recreational permit fees, any changes could have negative impacts due to current policy gaps. Notably, Namibia’s Marine Resources Act does not distinguish between subsistence and recreational anglers, leading to complications in resource access. The ongoing National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF) aims to address these issues.
The report recommends several actions: integrating the complexities of marine recreational fishing into the NPOA-SSF process, revising outdated fees in line with inflation, aligning pricing with terrestrial tourism, continuing to collect socioeconomic data for informed decision-making, and ensuring that recreational angling permit data is publicly available and sufficiently detailed for analysis.