Africa · Southern
Key Facts
—Jobs at risk. Marco Fishing plans to declare 30 land-based positions redundant out of a 300-strong workforce.
—Financial trigger. Managing director Abraham Louw blames three years of losses on poor hake catches and rising costs.
—Union dispute. The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers’ Union says the company failed to consult properly on the restructuring.
—Sector weight. Fishing contributes about 3% of Namibia’s GDP and roughly 20% of export earnings, with around 17,000 direct jobs.
—Foreign dominance. Spanish companies control much of Namibia’s hake exports, a legacy that shapes quota politics and labour relations.
The Marco Fishing restructuring in Lüderitz exposes how quota politics, foreign capital and biomass shocks converge on factory-floor workers in one of Africa’s most valuable fisheries.
What the Marco Fishing restructuring means for workers
Marco Fishing, a Lüderitz-based hake processor, intends to eliminate 30 land-based positions covering fish processing and harbour crew. Managing director Abraham Louw says the company has absorbed financial losses for three consecutive years.
New posts will be created but on lower pay grades, according to the company. The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers’ Union (Nasawu) argues the firm did not hold a single meeting to explain the process to affected staff.
Nasawu president Hango Paulus describes the move as a unilateral retrenchment that violates employment rights. The union wants proper consultation and a negotiated outcome rather than redundancy notices delivered without warning.
Why poor hake catches are reshaping Lüderitz
Lüderitz has experienced a general decline in fishing activity, with local observers linking the downturn to poor catches and quota allocation problems. Marco Fishing’s losses mirror a broader squeeze on smaller operators who lack the capital buffers of multinational groups.
The town depends heavily on the ocean economy, so each retrenchment ripples through households and local businesses. When catches fall, processing lines slow and land-based crews become the first cost-cutting target.
Namibia’s fisheries are managed through a rights-and-quota system praised internationally for sustainability. Yet scientists warn that high quotas can drive overcapacity, leaving plants and workers exposed when biomass dips or allocations shift.
The wider labour unrest across Namibia’s fishing sector
The Marco Fishing restructuring is not an isolated event. At Tunacor Fisheries in Walvis Bay, about 150 workers went on strike demanding overdue salary increases, only to face a lock-out and replacement by casual labour.
Etosha Fishing laid off around 400 employees after failing to secure adequate horse mackerel quotas. Across Walvis Bay, more than 600 fishermen lost jobs when contracts were terminated, with allegations that union leaders signed mass resignations on workers’ behalf.
A government redress programme set up to absorb sacked workers has employed over 2,400 people since 2015. Yet more than 500 participants have gone up to six months without salaries, and 129 ex-employees of defunct firms refused new contracts and have not been paid since January 2025.
Spanish capital and the quota-rent economy
Namibia exports about 90% of its annual fish production, and the export side is dominated by Spanish companies. In December 2021, NovaNam—the Namibian subsidiary of Spain’s Nueva Pescanova Group—acquired two new trawlers worth US$21.3 million for operations off Lüderitz.
Union representatives have publicly claimed the fisheries ministry is “captured” by Spanish interests, especially in disputes with NovaNam. The perception of foreign dominance fuels resentment when local firms like Marco Fishing retrench workers while global players expand their fleets.
The Fishrot corruption scandal exposed how quota allocation became a political rent-seeking arena involving foreign and domestic elites. Workers in Lüderitz and Walvis Bay are downstream of these quota politics: when rights are frozen or reallocated, jobs and wages fluctuate sharply.
Illegal fishing and the revenue gap
Foreign vessels flying flags of convenience plunder more than 100,000 tonnes of fish annually from Namibian waters, according to the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations. The estimated revenue loss reaches N$1.5 billion (about US$81 million) per year.
Horse mackerel stocks migrate across borders, and enforcement gaps in Angola allow foreign fleets to exploit shared stocks before slipping into Namibia’s exclusive economic zone. Limited patrol capacity makes it difficult to police these incursions effectively.
Namibia itself does not subsidise its fishing industry and strongly opposes fisheries subsidies at the World Trade Organization. Non-subsidised local operators like Marco Fishing face higher cost pressures than subsidised distant-water fleets from Europe and Asia.
What the Marco Fishing restructuring reveals about resource governance
The dispute fits a recurring pattern: a biomass or quota shock triggers company losses, which lead to restructuring and layoffs. Unions then protest over lack of consultation, wage stagnation and working conditions, while courts occasionally intervene to order reinstatements or block casual replacements.
For international investors and buyers, the sector carries growing reputational risk. European Union markets increasingly demand Marine Stewardship Council-certified hake and robust labour standards, and sustained industrial conflict undermines both certification prospects and brand value.
The broader story of Namibia’s fisheries—from Spanish-dominated exports to Fishrot and illegal foreign plunder—is a case study in how resource-rich African coastal states navigate foreign capital and domestic political economy. Readers following these dynamics can explore the wider context in our pillar series Africa: The New Scramble.
Connected Coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
How many workers are affected by the Marco Fishing restructuring?
Marco Fishing plans to declare 30 land-based positions redundant out of a total workforce of about 300. The affected roles cover fish processing and harbour crew, with new posts to be created on lower pay grades.
Why is Namibia’s fishing sector experiencing so much labour unrest?
Poor catches, quota allocation disputes and foreign-dominated export chains create financial pressure on local companies, which often respond with retrenchments and lock-outs. Unions push for higher wages and better conditions, while a government redress programme set up after mass sackings in 2015 has faced chronic payment delays.
What role do Spanish companies play in Namibia’s fisheries?
Spanish firms dominate Namibia’s hake exports, with NovaNam—a subsidiary of Nueva Pescanova—operating a major fleet off Lüderitz. Unions have alleged the fisheries ministry favours Spanish interests, a perception that intensifies tensions when local companies shed jobs while foreign-owned groups expand.
Sources
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