Daily fishing permits available
The official notice that caused an uproar among recreational anglers neglected to mention that a cheaper option existed, the fisheries ministry admitted yesterday.
Recreational anglers can in fact opt to buy a daily N$50 fishing permit instead of a monthly N$1 500 permit, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources clarified yesterday.
Following widespread confusion and outrage over the announcement that monthly fishing permits would be increased from N$14 to N$1 500, permanent secretary Moses Maurihungirire said yesterday that the new recreational fishing levies did provide an option for day permits.
“The new recreational fees are set at N$1 500 per month per person. This translates to N$50 per day per fisher. Recreational fishers are allowed to pay N$50 per day, or in multiples of any number of days that they may wish to go fishing,” he said.
He said the increase was acceptable considering that the last price increase was 16 years ago.
The ministry also clarified yesterday that recreational anglers do not have to pay additional levies on each landed fish, as was announced in the Government Gazette last month.
“The new recreational permit levy is a one-off payment covering all species contained in the regulations, hence recreational fishers will not be required to pay additional fees per species.”
The ministry explained that recreational anglers are permitted a daily bag limit of 10 fish, “whose value may be N$1 000 or more.”
The ministry said people who have already bought long-term permits at the old price may continue to use them until they expire.
The ministry's clarification squashed fears that the monthly N$1 500 permit would destroy recreational angling and sport-fishing competitions, as well as the coastal tourism sector and small businesses dependent on it.
Maurihungirire admitted that the ministry's initial announcement did not mention the option of a day permit, which would likely have prevented the widespread condemnation and confusion.
“We will not dispute that one,” he said.
He added that the increased levies were solely applicable to coastal fishing, and not inland recreational fishing.
The levy increases were necessary to cover the increased cost of managing recreational coastal angling, which cost the ministry around N$400 000 a month, he said.
Maurihungirire added that the ministry had been in touch with representatives of the mid-water trawler sector to resolve misperceptions about their levy increases.
It had been reported that this sector was facing a bleak future because of the new levies.
The permanent secretary further emphasised that subsistence anglers registered with the Ministry or the Hanganeni Artisanal Fishing Association (HAFA) were exempted from the new fee structure until new regulations applicable to them were gazetted.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Following widespread confusion and outrage over the announcement that monthly fishing permits would be increased from N$14 to N$1 500, permanent secretary Moses Maurihungirire said yesterday that the new recreational fishing levies did provide an option for day permits.
“The new recreational fees are set at N$1 500 per month per person. This translates to N$50 per day per fisher. Recreational fishers are allowed to pay N$50 per day, or in multiples of any number of days that they may wish to go fishing,” he said.
He said the increase was acceptable considering that the last price increase was 16 years ago.
The ministry also clarified yesterday that recreational anglers do not have to pay additional levies on each landed fish, as was announced in the Government Gazette last month.
“The new recreational permit levy is a one-off payment covering all species contained in the regulations, hence recreational fishers will not be required to pay additional fees per species.”
The ministry explained that recreational anglers are permitted a daily bag limit of 10 fish, “whose value may be N$1 000 or more.”
The ministry said people who have already bought long-term permits at the old price may continue to use them until they expire.
The ministry's clarification squashed fears that the monthly N$1 500 permit would destroy recreational angling and sport-fishing competitions, as well as the coastal tourism sector and small businesses dependent on it.
Maurihungirire admitted that the ministry's initial announcement did not mention the option of a day permit, which would likely have prevented the widespread condemnation and confusion.
“We will not dispute that one,” he said.
He added that the increased levies were solely applicable to coastal fishing, and not inland recreational fishing.
The levy increases were necessary to cover the increased cost of managing recreational coastal angling, which cost the ministry around N$400 000 a month, he said.
Maurihungirire added that the ministry had been in touch with representatives of the mid-water trawler sector to resolve misperceptions about their levy increases.
It had been reported that this sector was facing a bleak future because of the new levies.
The permanent secretary further emphasised that subsistence anglers registered with the Ministry or the Hanganeni Artisanal Fishing Association (HAFA) were exempted from the new fee structure until new regulations applicable to them were gazetted.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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