Etosha Fishing Company is under pressure to land the historic 10,000 metric tonnes of pilchard allocated by the government.

The company landed its first consignment of pilchards last week following an 8-year ban. This is after the government decided to grant Eco Fish Farm 10,000 metric tonnes.

The Horse Mackerel Association has dismissed claims that its members are intentionally catching pilchards, a species currently under a government fishing ban.

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.