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The Namibian Cabinet approved the establishment of 18 hunting
concessions on State land (excluding registered conservancies),
including certain proclaimed protected areas or parts
thereof, for the period 2005 to 2009. The revenue will be deposited
in the Game Products Trust Fund to benefit proclaimed protected
areas. The Cabinet also approved the provision of incentives
to promote black economic empowerment in the trophy hunting
industry like 20% discount for first year concession payments
for concession holders with at least 20% ownership by formerly
disadvantaged Namibians. This will be additional to a 10% discount
for concession payments from concession holders who
employ formerly disadvantaged Namibians at professional hunter
level in the concession concerned, valid for each year in which
such employment is demonstrated. It was also approved that 50%
of the revenue from hunting concessions in the Bwabwate NP be
shared with communities resident in, or neighboring to this park.
The auction was to take place on 9 December 2004. Subsequent
to the announcement, MET received strong expressions of
interest and many enquiries from companies and individuals, including
those who have not previously been involved in the hunting
industry, concerning these hunting concessions and the empowerment
incentives announced. MET realized from this good
response that many companies and individuals needed additional
time and guidance to structure themselves appropriately in order
to achieve the envisaged empowerment objectives, and also to
ensure the greatest extent of benefit sharing with rural communities
in the vicinity of such hunting concessions.
In view of these positive developments MET decided to postpone
the auction. It is foreseen that the hunting concessions will
be made available in the first half of 2005. The process may include
a new step of prior submission of company profiles concerning
empowerment and benefit sharing arrangements to MET.
MET will make a further announcement to advise interested parties
what information needs to be submitted prior to the intended
auction, as well as guidance concerning MET’s vision of the role
of empowerment within the hunting industry and how rural communities
could be involved.
Namibia occupies the 3rd rank in trophy hunting in Africa after
Tanzania and South Africa. Previously the largest share in the
industry came from freehold land, with the rest from state land in
proclaimed protected areas, other state land and from registered
conservancies. Current trends indicate that trophy hunting on
freehold land is growing slower or leveling off as compared to
registered conservancies. Internationally there is a demand for
trophy hunting in unfenced areas or larger fenced areas and a
premium is paid for hunting in such areas. Since the Namibia
trophy hunting industry is characterized by almost exclusive formerly
advantaged ownership and operator structure, incentives
are now being introduced to allow formerly disadvantaged Namibians
to also benefit from this industry.
Source: African Indaba – an electronic newsletter as a public service for hunter-conservationists
and all people who are interested in the conservation, management and the sustainable
use of Africa’s wild natural resources. African Indaba is published six times
a year and distributed free-of-charge via e-messaging service. You can subscribe
to the full newsletter by sending an email with your full address to gerhard@muskwa.co.za.
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