This year’s pilchard quota of 20 000 tons is enough to warrant the running of Etosha Fisheries AND United Fishing Enterprises, which will start canning operations as soon as they have enough cans in stock. Metalbox at Walvis Bay is one of the suppliers of cans.

The Namibian on Thursday reported that these two pilchard canning factories in Walvis Bay will for the first time in three years employ almost 1000 workers. After the zero TAC was announced last year, they had both closed down. In 2001 (TAC of 10 000 tons) only Etosha Fisheries processed canned fish.

This year - after a TAC of 20 000 tons was announced - Etosha will process some 11 000 tons and United 8 000 tons. Thus, Etosha re-employed 500 seasonal workers and United about 400. In the past, United allone employed some 1 300 workers, when the TAC was large. Accoring to The Namibian, United ME Willem Pronk said crowds of job seekers had already congregated at the factory‘s entrance every morning. Production could increase to 500 tons per day.