News:
December 9, 2021
Sector Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hawa Koomson has said the sector has over the years been dominated by the marine sub-sector.
The over dependency on the subsector has greatly contributed to the overexploitation of marine fisheries resources and to address the situation, the Ministry is promoting aquaculture development with the objective of growing the aquaculture subsector to increase its contribution to domestic fish production and reduce the over dependency on marine fisheries resources.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Upper Denkyira East wanted to know the measures the Ministry is taking to secure Ghana’s marine fish stock which has seen rapid decline in the past decade.
The Ministry has also reviewed the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy developed in 2008 as part of the steps towards the revision of the existing Fisheries Act, 2002.
The revised policy has extensively outlined measures for management of marine fisheries such as regular assessment of status of fish stocks, establishment of marine protected areas and climate smart fisheries.
As a result, Plans are advanced to procure four (4) patrol boats and a research vessel for the sector to enhance surveillance operations at sea and provide evidence for policy directives.
Mr. Speaker, the marine subsector accounts for the bulk of domestic fish production and fisher population in Ghana, sustaining the subsector in therefore, key to the fisheries sector and the livelihoods of the over 186 fishing communities along the coast.
Accordingly, the Ministry has put in place measures to protect and sustain marine fisheries resources including:
– The implementation of the all Fleets Closed Season aimed at recovery of overexploited fish stocks and rebuilding of depleted fish stocks;
– Intensified fisheries law enforcement through at sea and land patrols as well as inspections;
– Deployment of observer on board all industrial vessels,
– Installation of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) electronically monitor the activities of the vessels at sea.
The artisanal fishers, who constitute the majority of the marine fisher population, are also being provided with authorized fishing inputs such as approved fishing nets to address the proliferation of illegal fishing nets which has been observed to be a major cause of illegal fishing in the artisanal subsector.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com