Windhoek: In an effort to support the sustainable development of the country's marine resource base, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform on Wednesday launched the Seals Sub-Sector Technical Committee (SSTC). Launched in Windhoek, the initiative is aimed at promoting the sustainable and ethical utilisation of seal resources. Executive Director in the ministry Teofilus Nghitila described the establishment of the SSTC as a major achievement in the country's efforts to balance environmental stewardship with economic empowerment. Nghitila emphasised the importance of inter-ministerial cooperation in ensuring that natural resources are managed responsibly for the benefit of both people and the environment.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the SSTC will coordinate and oversee all activities related to sustainable seal management, value addition, market development, and trade facilitation. Its key objectives include reviewing and updating the Seals Management Plan, implementing effective population management strategies, assessing the implications of the species' listing under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and promoting innovation in harvesting and processing.
The committee also seeks to develop domestic, regional, and international markets for Namibian seal products, foster collaboration among stakeholders, and build local expertise through training and capacity development. It will operate under a three-year mandate to transform the seal sub-sector into a model of sustainable resource utilisation and inclusive economic growth.
The SSTC will be chaired by the ministry as a whole, with the fishing industry serving as deputy chair. Other members include the ministries of Environment, Forestry and Tourism; Industrialisation and Trade, and Health and Social Services, as well as the Namibia Revenue Agency, the Bank of Namibia, Development Bank of Namibia, the Namibia Standards Institution, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, and the Fisheries Observers Agency.
Namibia has one of the world's largest Cape fur seal populations, estimated between 1.5 and 2 million. Earlier this year, the government allocated a quota of 60,000 seals, of which about 8,000 were bulls and the rest were pups, for the season. The quota system is part of the framework under the Marine Resources Act No. 27 of 2000, which allows for Total Allowable Catches and quotas for marine resources, including seals treated as a commercial resource under national law.