The government has announced a moratorium on official funerals.

This decision was made during the 11th cabinet meeting, held on Tuesday and chaired by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

Calls for the government to lift the moratorium on pilchards are getting louder, following reports of illegal pilchard fishing near Walvis Bay.

The calls are also based on surveys indicating that the pilchards' biomass has increased, showing signs of recovery over the past four years.

A moratorium on the harvesting of pilchards remains in place for another year, as the fish species is still in an unhealthy state.

This was revealed by Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Derek Klazen during a Cabinet briefing.