Closed fishing season must not starve fishermen – Minister

By
Ebenezer Sowah, RNG

Keta (V / R), July 27, GNA – Ms. Elizabeth
Afoley Quaye, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said that
the fishing season is to improve the decline of Ghana's fishing stock and not to starve
people whose livelihood depends on the ocean.

The measure was intended to improve the life of
the people through an exceptional harvest in the coming season.

She was speaking to fishermen and
the municipality of Keta on the ban a month and said, research had shown that if
such measures were not implemented, the nation could lose its stock of fish
three to five years.

She noted that until recently, fishermen
exceptional harvest recorded between July and August each season and declared
complaints of low or no catches reported a depleted fish stock.

The Minister therefore appealed to the fishery
communities to voluntarily comply with the guidelines.

She said that the naval command of the Ghanaian navy
intensify Ghana's border patrol during the war period
trawlers who would like to take advantage of the initiative to fish in
the water plans of the nation.

She added that certain interventions had been
in place to mitigate the economic, financial and social impact.

Ms. Quaye stated that
livelihoods through the collection and processing of plastic for money
by the majority of fishermen, affected by the initiative.

The Landing Beach Committees were to
use fixed portions of 53% premixed fuel margins for development
to protect identified fishermen on their beach committees.

Michael Arthur Dadzie, Director of
Fisheries, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said the closing of the season would
allow fingerlings to grow.

The closed fishing season begins from the month of August.
07 and ends on 04 September.

GNA