• NovaNam, an associate of the Nueva Pescanova Group in the African country, was the first company in the world to obtain the FISH Standard for Crew in 2022.

• The Group’s fleet in Namibia employs more than 280 people, operating across seven vessels.

Vigo, 24 March 2026.— NovaNam, an associate of the Nueva Pescanova Group in Namibia, has successfully renewed its FISH Standard for Crew certification, an international certification that recognises safe, fair and ethical labour practices on board its fishing vessels.

The Nueva Pescanova Group’s fleet in Namibia, operating out of the ports of Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, consists of two freezer trawlers and five fresh fish trawlers, including the new Lalandii 1, Novanam One and Novanam Two. These vessels have a combined crew of around 280.

NovaNam was the first fishing company in the world to obtain this certification in 2022. It is the only fishing company in Namibia to have this global certification, the only one currently in force across the entire African continent.

The FISH (Fairness, Integrity, Safety and Health) Standard for Crew certification is based on four principles and 28 criteria that ensure the proper application of international conventions and labour legislation on board fishing vessels. NovaNam has renewed this certification after an exhaustive independent audit, which inspected the fleet and the organisation against stringent compliance standards. Personal interviews were also conducted with the crews.

“This recognition reflects the Nueva Pescanova Group’s commitment to responsible governance and to the well-being and safety of our employees. Providing the best possible working conditions is essential to ensuring responsible and sustainable operations”, says Nuno Cosme, Chief Sustainability & CSR Officer at the Nueva Pescanova Group.

Edwin Kamatoto, Managing Director of NovaNam, adds that “this certification recognises NovaNam’s ongoing efforts to provide our crews with decent, safe and internationally aligned working conditions, while contributing meaningfully to Namibia’s fishing industry and economy”.

Mike Kraft, Executive Director of FISH Standard for Crew, states that “programmes such as FISH can serve as a credible, independent verification tool. Organisations can use it to demonstrate their leadership, the high value they place on the safety and well-being of their workers, and the transparency of their operations”.

The Nueva Pescanova Group has been operating in Namibia for over 35 years, providing employment for around 2,500 people.

About FISH Standard for Crew

The FISH Standard for Crew provides a voluntary, independent, third-party-accredited certification programme for labour practices on board vessels in wild-capture fisheries worldwide. The FISH Standard is based on the ILO C188 Work in Fishing Convention and related guidance. Since 2025, it has been recognised by the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) Benchmark.