ASSG SHELLFISH CONFERENCE 2014

A Scottish Oyster Farmer

in Namibia

James West

Whale Bay Oysters

October 2014

History

Oyster farming started in the 1980’s when the salt producers in Swakopmund introduced oysters to the first salt pan from the sea In 1996 new farms started in Walvis Bay and in Luderitz Walvis Bay used longlines and raft culture. Luderitz used intertidal racks and bags similar to above

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Longlines and rafts

1.Longlines are usually 35 barrels long with 5 racks of oysters between each pair

2.One platform can hold around 250 racks

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Oyster growing locations AS

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Cape Frio

Cape Cross

Walvis Bay

Swakopmund

Lüderitz

Orangemund

Terrace Bay

PRESENT HUBS OF COMMERCIAL MARICULTURE DEVELOPMENT

Farm Distribution Walvis Bay

Grey coloured allocations in Walvis Bay are now unoccupied

Plots are on average 45 hectares each in Walvis Bay and 10 hectares each in Luderitz

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5

22

Namibian Scallop Farming cc

Pelican Point

15

20

20

Southern Limit of Namport Water Area

SpoilGround

Wes

tern

Lim

it of

Nam

port

Wat

er A

rea

AWK Marais

1 : 20000

30 August 2006

WATER AREAS ALLOCATED FORAQUACULTURE

Namibian Ports Authority

AWK Marais

HPM1/29

Port Engineer

Date

PORT OF WALVIS BAY

Drawn

Checked

Scale

File

Date

WBH 602

A 6602

WALVIS BAY AQUA PARK

Tenant

1

Area (ha)No.

2

5

6

7

9

10

11

13

14

15

17

18

ALLOCATION30

308a

8b

12

16

3

4

19

20

21

Beira Aquaculture (Pty) Ltd

Namibia Oysters cc

Seafresh Investments

70,345

Namibia Aquaculture (Pty) Ltd

Erongo Oysters

50,000

20,000

29,203

19,011

19,169

Sht 1 of 2 Shts

Pelican Point Shellfish

Uri Adventures

Tetelestai Mariculture cc

Global Polymer Industries (Pty) Ltd

Joe's Oysters

Walvis Bay Mariculture Products (Pty) Ltd 34,682

3,650

353,500

35,143

Vacant

Namib Aquaculture

Seafresh Investments

21,000

21,000

20,000

28,000

37,500

Associate

52,035

56,250

15,190

Praktika Afrika

NOTES

27,727

50,000

45,502

35,791

Walvis Bay Mariculture Products (Pty) Ltd

25,946

B

A

D C

Please note that all the farms' co-ordinates arenumbered in a clockwise direction, startingat the top lefthand corner as shown indiagram above.

Coloured Areas have been Allocated

Grey Areas have been Applied for

Blank Areas are vacant

Associate

Associate

Associate

Associate

Associate

A

EDC

B

1

2

7

8a

14

15

1012

1920

2122

11

16

18

17

13

3

4

8b

9

5

6

Plots are on average 45 hectares each in Walvis Bay and 10 hectares each in Luderitz

Farm Distribution Luderitz AS

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Upwelling Phytoplankton and Sulphur AS

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Walvis Bay oysters

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Fouling

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•intense continual upwelling at Luderitz •phytoplankton bloom continually at a rate several times higher than in other coastal areas •the plant cells die and decay, using oxygen en route •anaerobic microbial processes produce H2S in the sediment •build-up of gases is periodically released •H2S fills the water column and pervades the atmosphere •H2S oxidises to microgranules of sulphur at the water surface, discolouring it milky green

Processes during an eruption

Sulphur bacteria mat AS

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Gas in Sediment AS

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Oxygen Profile AS

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Sulphideoxygen

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

0 20 40 60 80 100

MicromolarDepth m

Mud Island AS

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What Hydrogen Sulphide does

15

Hydrogen sulphide

toxic, comparable with cyanide

inerferes with mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase enzymes

thereby blocking cellular respiration

sulphide competitively binds to haemoglobin

A secondary impact

combines with the available dissolved oxygen to

create critically oxygen-limiting conditions during

the episodic coastal events.

Mitigation – High Lines AS

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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Species No. Value N$ No. Value N$ No. Value N$ No. Value N$ No. Value N$

C. gigas 4,835993 19,343,972 6,057,021 24,228,084 4,990,042 14,506,623 7,500,000 21,000,000 9,000,000 30,000,000

O. edilus

Oyster Poroduction

Figures for last two years are estimates from farmers

No figures are available for edilus but quantities are very small

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Disruption of production by blooms and eruptions.

Restriction of availability of capital

No grant aid

BEE requirements

Remoteness from market.

Cheap labour? Skills shortage and productivity

Obstacles for Oyster Farming in Namibia

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Partnership / co-operation to ensure

continuity of supply

Room for expansion

Excess of demand over supply

New markets coming available

Live vs Frozen, advantages and

disadvantages

Expansion – Additional vessels, staff and

infrastructure – a leap of faith.

Opportunities