Trophy hunting contributes to 50% of income for communal conservancies
The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta said that trophy hunting plays an important role as diversification to livestock farming in Title Deed areas and that 50% of the income in communal conservancies comes from the activity.
Shifeta said this during the recently held Annual General Meeting of the Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA), adding that that the increase in game numbers experienced in Title Deed areas in the past 30 years is due to ownership which was transferred to the land owner.
The minister said that the increase in game numbers is the main driver for growth in tourism in the country. Furthermore, Shifeta urged Namibians to conserve game and use it sustainably and encouraged NAPHA to focus more on ethic hunting principles.
Danene van der Westhuyzen, president of the association said that the year 2017 was very successful in ensuring the survival of the hunting industry as the Namibian Cabinet has officially decided that trophy hunting is very important for the Namibian economy and must be fully supported.
Meanwhile, the wildlife legislation was tabled, with numerous inputs from the association. A national code of conduct for conservation hunting is in the process to be developed in cooperation with the government and other role players.
Furthermore, the hunters association also accepted a new trophy measure system which encourages hunting of older trophy animals.
Caption: Namibia Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA), President, Danene van der Westhuyzen
