Just published: Paper on climate change risk to Namibia’s diverse fisheries sectors
What are the key risks from climate change to Namibia’s various fisheries sectors and how could fisheries adapt to climate change? A brand-new One Ocean Hub paper has just been published, titled “Climate risk assessment of the fisheries in Namibia.” It is the outcome of a close collaboration between a twenty-one strong team of Hub researchers in Namibia, South Africa and the UK.
Why this paper?
Namibia is no exception to the many countries where climate change is impacting the marine living resources crucial to fisheries. Climate change is also affecting weather, currents and storminess, and therefore the safety and effectiveness of fishing. But fisheries in Namibia are very important for food security (especially protein), trade and commerce; they support many livelihoods in the extremely dry, coastal regions of the country, often providing jobs where limited alternatives may be available. The new paper addresses the question: What are the key risks from climate change to Namibia’s various fisheries sectors – including recreational and small-scale (artisanal) fisheries – and how could fisheries ‘adapt’ to climate change?
What did we find?
Namibia’s fisheries sectors differ widely in how vulnerable they are to climate change – some far more at risk than others. Our assessment found that the rock lobster fishery of Lüderitz (in the remote south of the country) has the greatest ‘climate risk’. This is perhaps unsurprising as Namibian rock lobster is very temperature-sensitive, and vulnerable to low oxygen levels in the water. Second-highest at-risk, is the small-scale (artisanal) fisheries: an important finding, as most small-scale fishers are from marginalised communities, sometimes impoverished and with limited access to marine resources – in some cases even displaced from direct access to the coastline (as is the case with the Topnaar community, also investigated under One Ocean Hub: see here >>). In other sectors, climate risk is more moderate; an example is the biggest and most valuable fishery of Namibia: the hake trawlers.
However, the two hake species that form its target stock, are still expected to shift their distributions in response to climate change, with possible knock-on effects. Shifts in coastal fish species could also affect Namibia’s recreational sector – the fishers themselves and those reliant on them for their jobs (guides, guest house owners and employees, etc.), especially at more remote locations where few alternative opportunities are available. By and large, all ten fishery sectors of Namibia are affected by climate change; and the new paper gives a thorough overview of the impacts, risks, and adaptation options.
The ’unique formula’ of One Ocean Hub
Climate change cuts through all sciences; so studying climate change requires multiple disciplines to meet. This is where the diverse ‘One Ocean Hub family’ made a real difference. In March 2023, One Ocean Hub organised an ‘expert elicitation workshop’ in Henties Bay, Namibia, where marine biologists, fisheries and social scientists, economists and legal scientists all got together and shared their expertise on climate change in Namibia – reflecting the multidisciplinary Hub spirit. It allowed a holistic assessment of the physical hazards of climate change, the sensitivities of the various fish species, and socio-economic vulnerability in each fishery sector.
Reaching out widely: five stakeholder workshops
In September 2024, five workshops were organised where the team presented the key climate risks to diverse stakeholders all linked to fisheries or the marine environment in Namibia. The aim of the first four workshops – in the coastal towns of Henties Bay, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Lüderitz – was to understand the robustness of the assessment and potential for adaptation measures. This aim was reached through rich discussions with the stakeholders. In the fifth workshop, in the capital of Windhoek, we presented the findings including the stakeholder feedback to an audience that included policy makers and Namibia’s ombudsman, who is tasked to “support the rights of Namibia’s underrepresented, and the environment.” In addition, a representative of the Office of the Attorney General participated in the workshop, to explore the relevance of our findings for the role of the Attorney General in upholding Namibian constitution and reporting directly to the President of Namibia.
Travel far – travel together
There is a saying which I learned in Namibia, and which I was told is also used widely in other African countries: “If you want to travel fast – then it’s best to travel alone. But if you want to travel far – then it’s best to hold each other’s hands, and travel together.” The latter is what we did for this piece of work. We hope that the paper, and the policy brief which summarises it and includes a range of policy recommendations, may make a real difference for climate change resilience in Namibia.
If you wish to know more about the Hub’s research on sustainable and inclusive fisheries, please check our Learning Pathways on One Ocean Learn on:
•Fisheries and human rights here >>
•Ocean and climate change here >>
•Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing here >>