Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of maritime security in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities in Namibian waters, with reference to the Kunene River Mouth. To realize this objective, the study evaluated the methods and technologies applied by the respective maritime security agencies in combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities at the Kunene River Mouth. The study employed a qualitative approach that is descriptive by design that utilized a case study approach. Moreover, purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select participants. The total sampled population was 43 participants comprising of members from the Namibian Navy, Namibian Police Water Wing, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and Directorate of Maritime Affairs as well as Namibian Ports Authority. In addition, data was collected through semi structured open-ended interviews, focus group discussions and observation. The research findings revealed that, the current maritime security mechanisms used to counter IUU fishing activities at the Kunene River Mouth are ineffective, owing to the distance of 764 km to be covered by the coastal patrol vessels when launched from Walvis Bay to the Kunene River Mouth, which takes approximately 26-30 hours. The findings also indicated that challenges of inadequate funding for maintenance and fuel for coastal patrol vessels for the Namibian Navy and Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources hampered coastal patrols at the Kunene River Mouth. Hence, the lack of coastal patrols conducted at the Kunene River Mouth created a security vacuum that is exploited by illegal foreign vessels. iii In the final analysis, the study recommended that the Namibian Navy with financial support from the Namibian government to establish a naval calling station along the northern Namibian coastline, preferably at Cape Fria that is 200 km from the northern maritime border. It is also recommended that the Namibian government to avail sufficient funding to the Namibian Navy and Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources for the maintenance and fuel for coastal patrol vessels in order to maintain constant presence at the Kunene River Mouth. The study further recommended that the Namibian and Angolan authorities to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on hot pursuit for illegal foreign vessels trying to flee into the respective countries territorial waters. Lastly, the study recommended for further research to be carried out on the impact of IUU fishing activities at the Kunene River Mouth on the Namibian economy.
