November 2022 - Per Erik Bergh (CEO NFDS), Regina Dithapo (Office and Communications Assistant) and JD Kotze (MCS Expert) provided training at two workshops of the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Fisheries Law Enforcement Academy (FishFORCE) through Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF).
The training workshops were held from the 30 October to 4 November in Walvis Bay, followed by a Senior management workshop from the 8 to 10 November, in Windhoek.
The workshop was attended by relevant national agencies that are involved in port operations and representatives from Eight agencies including the Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources, Nampol, Namibian Police, Namibian Police in Water Policing Department, Fisheries Observer Agency, University of Namibia, Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration Safely and Security and Ministry of Works and Transport.
Mr. Bergh presented on the State responsibilities and international law. He explained that Illegal fishing operators target ports that they perceive to have weak controls; however, since port States control who can use their ports for port services such as offloading, transhipment, supplies, fuel, or crew changes, preventing illegal catches from being landed at the first point of landing (ports) is one of the important steps to stopping illegal fishing. He highlighted the importance of ports and port State in the fight against IUU fishing and its related crimes. Ports provide an effective, cost-efficient, and safe workspace to check, inspect and act against illegal operators.
