Page 2 - Professorial Lecture - Prof Omoregie

ABSTRACT

It is a well-known fact that the Namibian marine ecosystem is very productive;
one of the most productive in the world due to the Benguela Upwelling System.
Over the years, fish and other marine resources exploitation and mariculture
within this ecosystem has contributed significantly to the country’s GDP and
employment. Looking into the future, the question is: will the phenomenal
production and national gains experienced from this ecosystem in the past two
decades continue at the present rate of exploitation coupled with other equally
productive industrial activities impacting the system that are also contributors to
Namibia GDP and employment be retained?

There are various management tools in the sustainable utilization of marine
resources worldwide. One of these is the scientific approach based on researches
in the field of Aquatic Ecotoxicology. This professorial lecture is to look at the
various available options in the science of ecotoxicology as a management tool for
the Namibian marine resources towards sustainable utilization. This lecture will
highlight:

i. The Namibian marine ecosystem and its productivity.

ii. The significant contributions of the Namibian fishing industry.

iii. The efforts of the Government of Namibia in ensuring sustainability of
exploitations within the ecosystem.

iv. Ecotoxicology as a foundation to understanding dynamics within the
marine environment.

v. Anthropogenic impacts on the marine ecosystem.

vi. References will also be made to the various challenges facing ecosystem
stabilization of the Namibian marine environment and its future potential
threat.

As with the practice of Professorial (Inaugural) Lectures worldwide, lectures of
this nature are organized to mark special events in the life of the University, while

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