Two months after hosting the inception meeting of the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) project – SADC Atlantic – Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) returned to Namibia to support strengthening capacities of monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) officers on skills ranging from assessing the risk of fishing vessels and their owners or operators to inspection and evidence collection. The training also provided an opportunity to create awareness on the function and capacity of the SADC MCS Coordination Centre (MCSCC); as well to share information on the SADC Atlantic project and the support it can provide to project countries, including how it links to the functions of the MCSCC.

The first risk assessment trainings were held in Lüderitz and Walvis Bay from the 8 – 12 May 2023. The trainings were given to fisheries inspectors of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) and fisheries observers from the Fisheries Observer Agency (FOA), while representatives of the U.S Embassy in Gaborone, the SADC Secretariat, the SADC MCSCC attended.

Risk assessment in fisheries is a process aimed at identifying, evaluating and validating information about a vessel and its owner/operator, to determine the level of potential risk associated with the vessel. When done well, these procedures reduce the chances of giving port access and services, providing licenses or registering high-risk vessels to a vessel that has engaged in illegal activity and thus protects the country, the fishery and the market from the illegal operators and illegally caught fish.

Training was provided theoretically and practically with MCS officers inspecting fishing vessels that came into port, in Lüderitz and Walvis Bay. The practical sessions gave an opportunity to demonstrate the use of body-worn cameras – a very nifty tool for fisheries inspections. Which increase the safety of inspectors, and provide an objective record of interactions; thus, enhancing transparency and accountability in fisheries inspections and law enforcement. The cameras have proven to be powerful tools to capture details and gather evidence of potential IUU fishing activities. More training and remote mentoring by the project team will follow throughout the year to assist the officers with mastering the equipment.