Canoe Owners and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana and some stakeholders in the fisheries sector have called on the government to take immediate steps to stop illegal and unregulated fishing activities in Ghana’s marine sector.
According to them, the use of small mesh size, light fishing, fishing with chemicals and explosives, fishing outside fishing boundaries, landing of juvenile fishes, among others, are all classified as illegal and unregulated fishing.
These activities, experts believe, deplete fish stocks, destroy marine habitats, and distort competition, among other negative effects.
Speaking on Plan B FM ‘Ebaanosen’ with Bohyeba Afriyie, the General Secretary of the Association, Kenneth Arthur averred that a quick action by government was necessary to address the shortcomings in the fisheries sector, particularly unregulated and unreported fishing.
Mr. Kenneth Arthur said that Ghana plays a crucial role in fisheries governance in West Africa, but our commitment towards zero tolerance for illegal and unregulated fishing has been poor.
“We have breached our own laws that govern our fisheries and the many international laws and regulations. It is clear on the walls that little has been done to stop illegal fishing in Ghana. We need to sit up and do the right thing. We have been advocating against this illegality for some time now. It is against the law to engage in illegal fishing. Our laws and international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) have made it clear that we cannot use monofilament net for fishing, we cannot use light to aggregate fish during fishing, and the laws frown on these. The laws need to be enforced,” he said.
He further indicated that, he is saddened by the situation, which clearly shows that we are not managing our fisheries resources appropriately.
On how Ghana could redeem its image, he suggested that the government stopped transshipment activities, popularly referred to as ‘Saiko’,
Saiko, he said, was the most destructive form of illegal fishing, and that it is worrying it’s still festering in spite of the numerous national and international laws governing marine fishing.
He said members of the association, who are investors and owners of canoes, have a role to play because they are responsible for the gears fishermen used for their trade.
He called on collaborators in the fisheries sector, including fisherfolk, regulators and enforcement agencies to team up to end illegal fishing in Ghana.
Discussion about this post