Latest News from NAPHA Issue 08/26
Updated: Aug 22
Issue 08/2026 22 August 2026
In this Edition:
Safari Greetings
As we head towards the end of August, there is plenty happening at NAPHA and within the wider hunting community. In this newsletter, we share updates on the next edition of HUNTINAMIBIA, developments surrounding the proposed trophy import restrictions in France, changes to the ART Top 10 entries, and the upcoming NAPHA Young Hunters Open Day.
Most importantly, this is the last week to order your ART medals for trophies to qualify for the 2026 NAPHA Awards. Members who still have qualifying trophies are encouraged to submit their medal orders to the NAPHA Office as soon as possible to ensure that they are included in this year’s awards.
We are also once again experiencing fires across the country. We ask all members to please remain vigilant, particularly when travelling or working in the veld. Please take extra care with anything that could potentially start a fire, keep firefighting equipment ready where possible, and report fires as soon as they are spotted. At this time of year, dry conditions and wind can allow a small fire to spread extremely quickly. We wish everyone currently affected by fires strength and hope that damage to farms, wildlife and livelihoods can be kept to a minimum.
There are several important developments affecting our industry at present, both here at home and internationally. We encourage members to stay informed, participate where possible and, importantly, continue supporting one another and the wider conservation hunting community.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
NAPHA ExCo and Office
Namibia Professional Hunting Association
Standing Together Against Trophy Import Bans – The Situation in France
A legislative development currently under consideration in France has once again highlighted the need for the international hunting and conservation community to stand together.
The proposed French legislation includes measures that would prohibit the import, export and re-export of hunting trophies from certain species. Of particular concern is that restrictions introduced in one European country could set a precedent for similar measures elsewhere. This concern is shared across the hunting sector, with warnings that developments in France could ultimately influence other European countries.
This is therefore not only a French issue. It has the potential to affect conservation hunting, sustainable use and the communities and conservation programmes supported by hunting across Africa.
We Need to Stand Together
As hunting associations, conservation organisations, safari clubs and governments, we will not always agree on every matter. Different countries and organisations have different challenges, priorities and approaches.
However, while we focus on our differences, organisations opposing hunting are often highly coordinated in their lobbying efforts. On matters that threaten conservation hunting and sustainable use as a whole, we need to put those differences aside and work together.
If we continue to distract ourselves with internal disagreements while those working against conservation hunting unite their efforts, we may eventually find that there is very little left for us to disagree about.
By consolidating our knowledge, data, resources and networks, we can present a far stronger and more credible case than through fragmented objections made in isolation.
Namibia Has an Important Story to Tell
For Namibia, the debate around trophy import restrictions goes far beyond whether a hunter can take a trophy home.
Conservation hunting forms part of a much larger system involving wildlife management, employment, communal conservancies, rural livelihoods, game meat, anti-poaching activities and maintaining the economic value of wildlife and its habitat.
Reliable Namibian data and practical examples are therefore important. We need to be able to demonstrate what conservation hunting contributes economically, how communities and conservancies benefit, how sustainable quotas are determined and what hunting revenue supports on the ground.
Equally important is the question of what happens when this income disappears, particularly in remote areas where photographic tourism may not provide a viable alternative.
The discussion cannot only focus on the animal that is hunted. It must also consider the land that remains under wildlife management, the people who derive livelihoods from wildlife, the funding available for conservation and anti-poaching, and the tolerance of communities living alongside potentially dangerous and destructive wildlife.
African Countries Must Have a Voice
There is also an important principle at stake. African countries that manage and conserve these wildlife populations should have a meaningful voice in international decisions affecting those resources.
Wildlife management decisions should recognise the sovereign right of range states to manage their natural resources according to their conservation policies, particularly where sustainable use and international trade comply with established international frameworks such as CITES.
This is not an argument against wildlife protection or appropriate regulation. It is an argument that conservation decisions should be based on science, population status, sustainable quotas, effective regulation and the realities experienced by the countries and communities responsible for managing these species.
The situation developing in France should serve as a reminder to all of us: we may not agree on everything, but when conservation hunting and sustainable use are threatened, we need to stand together and speak with a stronger, united voice.
New ART Top 10 Entry Fee
From 1 September 2026, a fee of N$1 200.00 per entry will apply to all ART Top 10 entries.
The ART Top 10 listings are exclusively available to NAPHA members and recognise exceptional trophies measured according to the Age Related Trophy (ART) Measurement System. The listings also provide members with an opportunity to showcase their hunting achievements and the quality of mature trophies harvested in Namibia.
The N$1 200.00 entry fee includes the official Top 10 certificate and medal and will contribute towards the administration and continued development of the ART programme. The introduction of the fee will also help ensure that members receiving the recognition and promotional value associated with a Top 10 listing contribute towards maintaining the programme.
ART remains an important initiative for NAPHA, particularly because the system places emphasis on the age and maturity of an animal rather than simply trophy size. By recognising mature and past-prime animals, ART helps demonstrate the principles of selective and responsible conservation hunting.
Members are encouraged to continue having their trophies measured and submitting qualifying trophies for the ART Top 10. Through continued participation, we can further strengthen the ART database, promote the hunting of mature animals and showcase the conservation principles behind Namibia’s hunting sector.
NAPHA Young Hunters Open Day
The NAPHA Young Hunters are inviting young and upcoming hunters to join them for a Young Hunters Open Day on 26 September 2026 at Rhino Sanctuary Namibia. The day is aimed at bringing young people in the hunting community together to learn, connect and get more involved in the future of hunting in Namibia.
The programme will include informative presentations on the Hunting Guide Exam, social media in hunting, the impact of hunting and the work of NAPHA, followed by a fun shoot with prizes and an after-party. It is an opportunity to meet others in the industry, ask questions, exchange experiences and simply enjoy a day with like-minded people. Whether you are already involved in hunting or interested in becoming more involved, the Young Hunters would be happy to welcome you.
HUNTINAMIBIA – Be Part of the Next Edition
Production of the next edition of HUNTINAMIBIA is approaching, and advertising bookings are still open.
HUNTINAMIBIA offers hunting operators, businesses and service providers an excellent opportunity to showcase what they have to offer to an international hunting audience. The magazine is published in English and German and distributed in Namibia, Europe and the United States, including at major international hunting shows. It also has an online presence, extending its reach beyond the printed publication.
Advertising space is limited, so businesses wishing to be represented in the next edition are encouraged to secure their space soon.
Your Namibian Hunting Stories
HUNTINAMIBIA is also looking for real Namibian hunting stories.
Our hunting community has many stories worth sharing – memorable hunts, unusual experiences in the field, conservation successes, lessons learned, interesting personalities and stories from years gone by that should not be lost.
You do not need to be a writer. If you have a story or experience worth sharing, the HUNTINAMIBIA team is willing to sit down with you, conduct an interview and turn your story into an article.
This is an opportunity to show international readers more than what Namibia has to offer as a hunting destination. It is also an opportunity to share the people, experiences, conservation work and stories behind Namibia’s hunting industry.
Would you like to advertise or have a story worth telling? Get in touch with the HUNTINAMIBIA team and be part of the next edition.
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