Nets raise alarm

Public suspicion about the Chinese-owned trawler Ryazanovka's intentions is growing following recent evidence that its crew have been mending and readying large fishing nets.The Ryazanovka, allegedly owned by two Chinese companies with strong links to local Chinese businessmen, has been moving along the Namibian coast for at least ten months. It has been confirmed that the vessel is equipped to capture marine wildlife off the coast of Namibia, and is linked to an application submitted by Welwitschia Aquatic and Wildlife Scientific Research and Beijing Rare Animal Breeding and Promotion to the Namibian government in March 2016.To date, the Namibian fisheries ministry has failed to publicly approve or deny a permit for the capture of several endangered marine species. A recent statement by the Ryazanovka's captain claimed that the application had been withdrawn because of severe international and local criticism against the application. Namibian authorities however responded that they had not been informed of the application's withdrawal. Suspicious activitiesLast week, Walvis Bay port authorities and fisheries inspectors were informed by concerned members of the public that the Ryazanovka had been seen changing its anchorage position over a number of days, despite strict a protocol of vessel movements within the bay.Moreover, crew members were seen hauling out and working on large-scale industrial fishing gear called purse seine nets. These nets allow small and large vessels to chase, encircle and trap large groups of marine animals with devastating precision. The nets are designed to hold substantial weights. “The equipment they have on that vessel is very dangerous and is designed to specifically catch fish and other marine species. Dolphins can easily be caught with those nets,” a Walvis Bay fisheries expert, who preferred to speak off the record, told Namibian Sun yesterday. The fishing expert was commenting after he had scrutinised a number of photos showing purse seine nets and related equipment on the Ryazanovka's deck.He said although it was impossible to say exactly how large the purse seine nets aboard the Ryzanovka were, photos indicated they were industrial size, which could mean kilometres of netting. “We don't know what they plan to do with those nets, of course. Nobody knows. But with a net like that on board, you can work anywhere … if you want to poach, then you can poach. If that is what they want to do, then they will and they can.”Purse seines can reach more than two kilometres in length and 200 metres deep, according to fisheries sources. “The size of the vessel determines the size of the net. The Ryzanovka is a trawler, a large vessel, and if it turns, [to place the circular net in place] you would require a massive net,” the source explained. There is concern about the absence of standard tracking equipment on the vessel. According to international maritime regulations, ships of certain sizes must be equipped with an automatic identification system (AIS). However, the 448 gross tonnage Ryazanovka trawler is not equipped with an AIS, as a quick overview of the AIS tracking site reveals, making it impossible to monitor its movements. “The question is, are they being monitored?” a source said, adding that once the vessel departs Walvis Bay, monitoring its movements would be close to impossible. According to the United States national fisheries department, one of the primary risks of the purse seine fishing method is that once the net has been set, encircled marine mammals, even those not intended to be caught, cannot escape and “can become entangled, injured or stressed. Even with quick retrieval, marine mammals' sensitive bodies and internal organs cannot usually withstand the weight of the catch or the impact of being placed on the vessel.” The department states that the most common species captured as by-catch are bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales. According to experts, when tuna or dolphins are targeted, fishermen often use boats to herd them into tight groups, so that the purse seine net can be set around them. These stressful chases can last for hours before the animals are caught and the nets tightened around them. Officials of the fisheries ministry and NamPort could not be reached for comment yesterday. Also, no feedback has been provided to members of the anti-plunder group which has played a pivotal role in raising awareness of the issue. A recent statement by the ship's master, representing the Chinese companies that had applied to catch dolphins, whales, penguins and other marine species off Namibia's coast for translocation to Chinese zoos, alleged that the application was withdrawn because of a local and international outcry. At the time of the statement, fisheries authorities claimed they had not been notified of any withdrawal. Doubts remain, with some speculating that the statement was a ruse to dampen the growing resistance against the bid.

Nets raise alarm

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

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Nets raise alarm

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

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