Ghana risks losing fish stocks as China's trawlers are exhausted – Prof. Akpalu

Company News of Thursday, January 24, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-01-24

Ghana is on the verge of losing its fish stock to China, warned Professor Wisdom Akpalu, a natural resources economist.

At a recent conference, Professor Akpalu revealed that of the 76 trawlers operating in the country, only one of them belongs to Ghana, the last trawlers belonging to Chinese nationals who have Ghanaians at their head. for them.

Data collected over the past 23 years also show that Ghana's fish stock has declined. Although the country also imports more than 59% of the total amount of fish that it consumes, the level of consumption per person per year is about 21 to 23 kg. which is less than 40 kg recommended by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Professor Akpalu, who also sits on the presidency of the African Association of Environmental Economists and Natural Resources, described the current situation of worrying concern at the Citi breakfast session. Thursday.

"When foreign vessels fish in our waters, they do not care about the sustainability of the resource. Each renewable resource is supposed to be extracted so that the extraction rate of the resource does not exceed that at which the resource is reconstituted. It is in the interest of these foreigners to extract as much as possible, which will reduce the stock. In addition, they engage in illegal activities such as the landing of cash and [other aquatic life] that they are not supposed to catch. "

Political infiltration

Professor Akpalu also attributed the challenge to the interference of some corrupt political actors and regulators, whose activities paralyzed efforts to end the threat.

"It's hard to put an end to this situation because when you talk with industry representatives, it appears that there are political forces behind these vessels and illegal acts committed by foreigners. These powerful forces make it difficult for regulators. "

Way forward

When asked how the age-old problem could be solved, the natural resource economist called for a strict law enforcement regime to preserve the country's fish stocks and avoid what could lead to mbadive job losses.

"This is a serious and very worrying situation. It seems that little has been done over the years, but I think it's high time that a serious action be taken. We must apply the law and move things so that those behind them are ashamed of themselves. If we lose the stock, so many people will lose their jobs, "he said.

What does the Fisheries Act say

Section 134 of the Fisheries Act 2002 (Law 625 deals with the prohibition of fishing vessels licensed to land fish outside Ghana.

(1) Unless otherwise authorized, the owner, master or operator of a fishing vessel registered in Ghana and authorized to fish in fishing waters shall not land, tranship or discharge any fish outside Ghana, including On the high seas.

(2) Every person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than $ 10,000 and not more than $ 2 million for a foreign fishing vessel or local or semi-industrial industrial fishing. vessel, or a fine of more than 1,000 penalty units in the case of any other vessel, or three times the value of the catch, whichever is greater, and the license may be suspended or canceled.

(3) Every person who aids and encourages another person to contravene subsection (1) is deemed to have contravened that subsection.