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Horse mackerel quota reduced significantly

Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises has managed to diversify its product offering and now sells products including canned squid and black mussels. (Photograph by Clemencia Jacobs)But industry continues to excel

Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises has managed to diversify its product offering since 1992 when it first entered the fisheries sector and now offers products such as Horse Mackerel fish soup, smoked Angel, smoked Snoek, smoked Horse Mackerel, black mussels, Kelgo Organic Fertilizer and wet fish including horse mackerel, Reds, Angel and Snoek.
This is despite the Horse Mackerel Industry’s quota being significantly reduced from 600 000metric tonnes over the years (the quota has however been increased lately, to 320 000metric tonnes).
“The local and the SADC member countries are currently our main markets. At this point in time we are not able to grow our client base, because we do not even have enough product to supply the current market. Our share of the Horse Mackerel quota has been reduced by more than 50%.
“As our main source of income is still the Horse Mackerel, it is quite risky to invest money in new ventures such as aquaculture, production and value addition, as these are capital intensive investments, until they become self sustainable entities,” said Gerhardt Schnaitmann, general manager of Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises.
Schnaitmann, however, added that the company is still flexible and resourceful enough to research and develop new products from the resource thereby creating additional employment from the resource.
“We will remain cautious about how we invest funds to the benefit of the shareholders, staff and the nation at large,” he said.
Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises is a fully owned subsidiary of Naras Investment, a fully owned Namibian company.
Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises’ subsidiaries include the Naras Investment Business Centre, Kuiseb Food Processors, Kuiseb Traders – a wholesale and retail trader, and is the sole owner of KFE Marine Farming – a sea and shore based salt water fish farming operation and KFE Aqua Culture Farming – a fresh water (inland) fish farming operation.
The company employs 36 people on land and 130 sea-going personnel through joint ventures with other rights holders.
Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises is also very involved in research and is currently busy with trials on seaweed (agar weed) and growing Kelp and is also harvesting Black Mussels since January 2012, although the operation was acquired in September 2011.
The company also aims to extend its fish shop outlets from the present two in Windhoek and Walvis Bay.
Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises is involved in sea water fishing of Horse Mackerel through a vessel owning joint venture company, called Trachurus Fishing.
The company is also a shareholder of Thynnus Fishing, and has thereby acquired an interest in the  large pelagic industry.

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