DRC shows interest in remaining governmental objective horse mackerel quotas
WALVIS BAY, 22 SEP- The Namibian and Democratic Republic of Congo Governments are in talks to sell the remaining governmental objective quotas of 27 300 metric tons of horse mackerel to DRC. According to the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Derek Klazen at an induction of new fishing rights holders here on Wednesday, the quotas are a remainder of the 87…
WALVIS BAY, 22 SEP (NAMPA) – The Namibian and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Governments are in talks to sell the remaining governmental objective quotas of 27 300 metric tons of horse mackerel to DRC.
According to the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Derek Klazen at an induction of new fishing rights holders here on Wednesday, the quotas are a remainder of the 87 500 metric tonnes that were auctioned off to both national and international companies earlier this year.
“DRC’s National Minister of Economics, Jean-Marie Kaluma Yuma, and his delegation came here and after discussions revealed their interest to buy the leftover quotas of the horse mackerel. The process to have this transaction is ongoing now,” Klazen noted.
He added that the transaction would be done through the ministry of Finance, who will then inform the fisheries ministry to sign off the quotas, once full payment of over N. dollars 85 million for the quotas has been completed.
Furthermore, Klazen noted that the agreement could be a long term one, on condition that they only buy from the auctioned governmental objective quotas.
The minister however highlighted that the process of catching this fish would not be done by DRC themselves, but by Namibian companies, which means employment for the Namibians.
“DRC might be bringing two or three freezer vessels for us to catch this fish for them so that they can be able to catch this fish in the current trawling season still,” he said.
He called on the new rights holders, urging them to caucus with their partners in order to take up this opportunity.
Klazen emphasised that the money from the auctioning of governmental objective quotas goes straight to the government coffers and not to the minister of fisheries, according to a few critics on social media.
The quotas 87 500 metric tons were available for sale by auction at a minimum price of N. dollars 750 and N. dollars 3000 per metric ton for wet and freezer, respectively.
To date, the government has generated N.dollars 397.6 million from the auction of horse mackerel governmental objective quotas.
(NAMPA)
IB/EK/HP