Champion of sustainable fishing practices and seabird conservation, former government fisheries observer and Albatross Task Force collaborator, Ismael Linicius Kavela passed away last month in his home town of Omaruru, at the age of 42.
Ice, as he was affectionately called by the team, had been working as a a consultant seabird bycatch mitigation instructor for the ATF since 2017. He collected vast amounts of valuable bycatch data and was instrumental in raising awareness of seabird-friendly fishing techniques onboard hake demersal longline and trawl vessels in Namibia.
Ismael's work over the past three years has made an important contribution towards driving seabird bycatch reductions in what has been coined one of the worst fisheries for seabirds in the world and colleagues describe him as being a humorous and peace-loving individual. He was an experienced seafarer and played a pivotal role in promoting the uptake of bycatch mitigation measures among crews in the Namibian hake fishery.
His dedication and good-nature will be missed by many and his passing is a great loss to the marine conservation community. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
Nina da Rocha - Albatross Task Force Project Officer