Directives Relating to Fishing Industry: Stage 2 (Government Notice 119 of 2020)

Primary work
Government Gazette no. 7213
This is the latest version of this legislation commenced on 15 May 2020.
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Namibian Constitution

Directives Relating to Fishing Industry: Stage 2

Government Notice 119 of 2020

  • Published in Government Gazette no. 7213 on 15 May 2020

  • Assented to on 15 May 2020
  • Commenced on 15 May 2020

  • [This is the version of this document from 15 May 2020 and includes any amendments published up to 6 October 2022.]


1. Definitions

In these directives, a word or an expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Regulations has that meaning, and unless the context indicates otherwise -"employee" means an employee of a fish processing plant on land or at sea;"fishing vessel" means a fishing vessel as defined in section 1 of the Marine Resources Act, 2000 (Act No. 27 of 2000);"Regulations" means the Stage 2: State of Emergency - Covid-19 Regulations, published under Government Notice No. 17 of 4 May 2020; and"work station" means an area where duties or functions are carried out by the crew of a fishing vessel.

2. Period of application of directives

These directives apply for the duration of the specified period.

3. Activities relating to fishing

(1)A person involved in -
(a)fish production and value chain activities in order to harvest and process fish and fish products for Namibia as part of food production; or
(b)fishing by a fishing vessel,

must do so under strict preventative measures of social distancing whereby persons must maintain a distance between them of at least one meter and have minimal contact with each other.

(2)A person involved in fish production, value chain activities referred to in subdirective (1)(a) or fishing by a fishing vessel must adhere to the health measures contemplated in these directives and the Regulations.

4. Entering of fish processing plants

(1)The head of a fish processing plant must implement actions required by, and policies of, the Government and as set out in these directives and the Regulations in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
(2)The head of a fish processing plant must ensure that -
(a)employees are hand sanitised before they enter the fish processing plant;
(b)contractors are screened and hand sanitised before they enter the fish processing plant;
(c)temperature readings of employees and contractors are taken in order to test the fever of employees and contractors upon arriving at the fish processing plant;
(d)employees dealing with persons entering the fish processing plant are provided with protective clothing, including masks, gloves, safety eyewear and white overalls and the employees wear the protective clothing;
(e)visitors are not allowed at the fish processing plant; and
(f)all deliveries at the fish processing plant are sent to a designated central point in order to minimise contact with employees.

5. On-site health facilities utilisation

(1)The head of a fish processing plant must ensure that -
(a)employees or contractors waiting to see a nurse at the fish processing plant sit outside of the clinic with a distance of at least one meter between them;
(b)only one employee or contractor enters the clinic at a time; and
(c)all employees or contractors entering the clinic are subject to temperature monitoring.
(2)The following employees or contractors are categorised as high risk:
(a)employees or contractors with a body temperature of 38 degree Celsius or more;
(b)employees or contractors with difficulty in breathing or with a dry cough;
(c)employees or contractors who have travelled outside Namibia in the last 14 days;
(d)employees or contractors who have been in contact with persons who have travelled outside of Namibia in the last 14 days.
(3)If an employee or a contractor is identified as high risk as contemplated in subdirective (2), the head of the fish processing plant must ensure that the employee or contactor is taken to an isolation room and the head of the plant must call or cause the emergency number to be called for the employee or contractor to be taken by the relevant medical authority.

6. Hygiene at fish processing plants

The head of a fish processing plant must ensure that -

(a)there is continuous communication on the importance of hygiene both at the fish processing plant and at the home of employees, and educational posters are displayed at the fish processing plant with a focus on personal hygiene;
(b)hand sanitiser stations are placed at strategic points throughout the fish processing plant and there are persons walking around the fish processing plant providing hand sanitisers to the employees on the go;
(c)there are cleaners at the fish processing plant to regularly clean and disinfect all areas that are touched frequently such as door handles, railings, gates and toilet seats;
(d)employees are issued with protective clothing, including masks and gloves, and the employees wear the protective clothing;
(e)all food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitised during breaks;
(f)thorough cleaning and sanitising regimes are followed at the end of each shift for all areas in the fish processing plant, floor to ceiling, as per the cleaning procedures of the fish processing plant;
(g)employees are given breaks at different intervals, in smaller groups while maintaining a distance between them ofat least one meter and have minimal contact with each other in order to minimise close interaction with other employees of the fish processing plant during breaks and between shifts;
(h)employees strictly maintain a social distance of at least one meter between them;
(i)shifts at tea times and lunch breaks are introduced in order to reduce the number of people using canteen and cloak room facilities at any given time;
(j)canteen and cloak room facilities in between tea times and lunch breaks are cleaned and sanitised; and
(k)the starting time for shifts are modified in order to prevent employees knocking off from a shift meeting with employees of a starting shift in order to reduce potential contact in the fish processing plant.

7. Fish shops

The head of a fish processing plant, an owner of a fish shop or a person in charge of a fish shop must ensure that -

(a)freezers and cashier desks at the fish shop are meticulously cleaned;
(b)cashiers at the fish shop wear gloves and masks; and
(c)persons in the fish shop or waiting to enter the fish shop maintain a distance of at least one meter between them.

8. Measures on board fishing vessels other than fishing vessels for artisanal or recreational purposes

(1)A person must not board a fishing vessel unless the person -
(a)has undergone a medical check-up process and the PCR-based COVID-19 test and has tested negative for COVID-19; and
(b)is quarantined on land from the period that the person has undergone the tests referred to in subdirective (a) until the person boards the fishing vessel for departure into the sea.
(2)If a person is showing any symptoms of COVID-19, the person must not board a fishing vessel unless the person -
(a)has been quarantined on land for at least 14 days;
(b)after 14 days ofbeing quarantined in terms of paragraph (a), has undergone a medical check-up process and the PCR-based COVID-19 test and has tested negative for COVID-19; and
(c)has remained quarantined until the person boards the fishing vessel for departure into the sea.
(3)The head of a fishing vessel must ensure that -
(a)a member of the crew is issued with protective clothing, including masks and gloves, and the member wears the protective clothing;
(b)the crew strictly maintains a social distance of at least one meter between them;
(c)areas on board the fishing vessel are cleaned and sanitised on a daily basis and that the crew adhere to other hygiene measures implemented by the head of the fishing vessel;
(d)the crew is given breaks at different intervals while maintaining a distance between them of at least one meter and have minimal contact with each other;
(e)the crew perform duties and functions in smaller groups and are separated from each other between shifts and work stations in order to minimise close interaction with other members of the crew during shifts and breaks; and
(f)educational posters are displayed on the fishing vessel with a focus on personal hygiene.
(4)As part of training, all ships officers that board fishing vessels must undergo basic training on first aid to enable them to attend to medical emergencies.
(5)The head of a fishing vessel must -
(a)ensure that his or her temperature and the temperature of each member of the crew are taken at least twice a day for the safety of the head and crew; and
(b)record the temperature readings for any inspection in terms of directive 10.
(6)The head of a fishing vessel must -
(a)immediately separate a member of the crew from the rest of the crew, if the member -
(i)has a body temperature of 38 degree Celsius or more;
(ii)has difficulty in breathing or has a dry cough; or
(iii)shows any other symptoms of COVID-19; and
(b)immediately isolate the member in an isolated cabin or any other suitable area identified as an isolation area; and
(c)return the fishing vessel, as soon as possible, to port for the testing of the member and medical attention under continuous instructions and supervision from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
(7)The crew of a fishing vessel must go through a medical check-up process, including the potential COVID-19 medical questionnaire, after disembarking the fishing vessel.

9. Measures on board fishing vessels for artisanal and recreational purposes

(1)The head of a fishing vessel for artisanal or recreational purposes must ensure that -
(a)a member of the crew is issued with protective clothing, including masks and gloves, and the member must wear the protective clothing;
(b)the crew strictly maintains a social distance of at least one meter between them;
(c)areas on board the fishing vessel are cleaned and sanitised on a daily basis and that the crew adhere to other hygiene measures implemented by the head of the fishing vessel;
(d)the crew is given breaks at different intervals while maintaining a distance between them of at least one meter and have minimal contact with each other;
(e)the crew performs duties and functions in smaller groups and are separated from each other between shifts and work stations in order to minimise close interaction with other members of the crew during shifts and breaks; and
(f)educational posters are displayed on the fishing vessel with a focus on personal hygiene.
(2)As part of training, all ships officers that board fishing vessels must undergo basic training on first aid to enable them to attend to medical emergencies.
(3)The head of a fishing vessel must -
(a)ensure that his or her temperature and the temperature of each member of the crew are taken at least twice a day for the safety of the head and the crew; and
(b)record the temperature readings for any inspection in terms of directive 10.
(4)The head of a fishing vessel must immediately -
(a)separate a member of the crew from the rest of the crew, if the member -
(i)has a body temperature of 38 degree Celsius or more;
(ii)has difficulty in breathing or has a dry cough; or
(iii)shows any other symptoms of COVID-19; and
(b)isolate the member in an isolated cabin or any other suitable area identified as an isolation area; and
(c)return the fishing vessel to port for the testing of the member and medical attention under continuous instructions and supervision from the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
(5)The crew of a fishing vessel must undergo a medical check-up process, including potential COVID-19 medical questionnaires before boarding the fishing vessel.
(6)Anglers along the shore must maintain a distance of at least one meter between them.

10. Right of inspection

A health official from the Ministry of Health and Social Services or any other person authorised by that Ministry has, at any time, unrestricted access to -

(a)a fishing vessel;
(b)a fish processing plant;
(c)an on-site health facility; or
(d)a fish shop,

to ensure compliance with these directives.

11. Offences and penalties

A person who contravenes or fails to comply with these directives commits an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine not exceeding N$2 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.