Five time award-winning best fisherman Mr. Justice Raymond Prah has said that the closure of the sea to ban fishing expeditions is a government decision and cannot go centrally and is hoping it will benefit the fisherfolks in the long run.
Speaking on Plan B FM morning show NKOSUONSEM told Nana Yaw Abrompah that, ‘closed season’ always brings hardship on fishermen because they solely depend on fishing activities. It is their only source of income,
“If monthly workers will receive their salary, what will the fishermen and their families feed on till the close season is over, i was told that the government is sharing 5kilos of rice and oil to fishermen, will they survive with that?” He quizzed
He stress that government must support fishermen with adequate premix fuel and also help them with high-tech fishing boats to make fishing expeditions easy
“if the government had supported the fisherfolk with all these needs there will be no need to lose the sea”.
He further stated that, the poor communication from the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and their refusal to consult the fisherfolk before taking such decisions makes it seem the fishermen are against the ‘closed season’ by the government.
Meanwhile, The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has performed a colorful ceremony to commence this year’s ‘Close Season’ for fishing spanning, Saturday, July 1, to Tuesday, August 31, at Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality of the Central Region.
While canoe and inshore fishers will observe the closed season from Saturday, July 1 to Monday, August 31, industrial trawlers would observe it from July 1 to Thursday, August 31.
The term “closed season” also known as “biological rest period”, refers to the stopping of fishing activities during the spawning period to help replenish the stock.
The closed season is observed as a way of reducing fishing pressure on stocks when they are most productive, in terms of allowing the fish a chance to lay their eggs to replace the lost population due to fishing and other natural causes.
Globally, closed seasons are considered one of the key fisheries management procedures to help protect fish stocks and increase their population.
For the first time since Ghana started implementing the Closed Season in 2016, the country is doing it together with Cote d’Ivoire and Togo while Benin will join in 2024.
Placing the one-month ban on fishing expeditions, Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson the sector minister said, she was particularly filled with joy and satisfaction for the two countries’ participation because it was an indication that her working visits to those countries were yielding results.
To her, Elmina is not only known for its rich culture and historical structures such as the Elmina Castle but most significantly, as an important fishing community.
Therefore, hosting the official closure ceremony in Elmina was part of activities to highlight the importance of Elmina in the fisheries sector, following the commissioning of the Elmina Fishing Port Rehabilitation and Expansion Project on Friday, May 26.
For the Close Season, she acknowledged the contributions of scientific working bodies both national and international, the academia, development partners, and Civil Society Organizations in making the Closed Seasons a success.
“Our gallant fishermen and fish processors work tirelessly to ensure that we have fish in our diets to meet our protein requirements.”
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