TYPE OF AQUACULTURE

Marine Aquaculture (Mariculture)

Production advantages for "marine aquaculture" in Namibia include approximately 1,500 km of largely uninhabited coastline (Lüderitz, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund); unpolluted high quality marine waters, high natural primary productivity of the seawater; availability of inexpensive fish by-products from the established fish processing sector for inclusion in wet aqua-feeds, and well-established processing, packaging and marketing systems, which exist due to the marine capture fisheries, that can be adapted for aquaculture purposes.

Commercial "marine aquaculture" (mariculture) is based on:

  • Seaweed ( Gracilaria verricosa)
  • Abalone Haliotis midae
  • Mussels ( Mytilus galloprovincialis)
  • Oyster ( Crassostrea giga)s and ( Ostrea edulis)

Inland Aquaculture

Inland freshwater fisheries are important in less arid areas such as the Caprivi and Okavango regions in the North East and the Omusati, Kunene and Oshana regions in the North West . Commercial freshwater aquaculture of tilapia ( Oreochromis andersonii) and catfish ( Clarias gariepinus) is currently undertaken at all aquaculture establishments throughout the country.

About 50% of the rural population live in the northern regions and derive food, income and informal employment from inland fish resources. Inland aquaculture includes on-land facilities and utilizes ponds, tanks, and enclosures that are dependent upon the culturists for maintenance of water quality, food supply, and waste removal.