September 8, 2017

 

In a quest to vigorously promote aquaculture development in the country, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development is embarking on a project to stock dams with fingerlings across the country.

Already, some 100 indigenous hatcheries (dams)have been identified in the Northern region to be stocked with fingerlings and the initiative is expected to be extended to other regions to enhance inland fish production capacity to meet local demands.

The sector Minister and Member of Parliament for Krowor, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye who disclosed this said the official launch of the 100 dam fingerling stocking will beheld in Linga in the Northern region of Ghana soon.

She also disclosed that the country is currently conducting a research to establish the actual fish stock levels.
A Research Vessel has been secured from Norway which has on board Ghanaian researchers to help conduct research into the pelagic stock, thus to find out Ghana’s stock of species and fish stock in the surface of the sea and at mid-sea levels to help inform planning.

Furthermore, an inter-ministerial Aquaculture Committee consisting of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Resources Commission, Fisheries Commission, Volta River Authority, Academia especially theCentre for Coastal Management and Aquatic Research of the University of Cape Coast, fishermen and other stakeholders is being constituted to deliberate on the challenges of thesector, howto curb illegal fishing, replenish the nations fish stock and how to ensure bio-safety in the fisheries sub-sector.

Currently it is only Tilapia andcatfish that are the two major fishes that are grown in Ghana to enhance the industry.

Christian Kpesese/Ghanamps.com