By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR), June 27, GNA – The Ghana National Canoe Fishers Council (GNCFC) in the Volta Region has urged artisanal fishers along the coast to observe traditional holidays and maintain good fishing practices during the upcoming closed fishing season.
The move, according to the GNCFC, is to sustain and improve the fishing business by reducing pressure on water bodies to allow aquatic animals to replenish.
Mr. Vans Kwaku Adedze, the Public Relations Officer of the GNCFC in the Volta Region, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development had announced that inshore and industrial trawlers would observe a two-month mandatory closed fishing season from July 1 to August 31, while the artisanal fishers have been exempted from 2025 closure.
“We are urging artisanal fishers to critically observe Tuesdays as their regular traditional holiday to replace the suspended closed season to help ensure the sustainability of marine resources and promote better fishing practices,” he said.
He explained that the GNCFC and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development were working together to promote responsible fishing practices and ensure the sustainability of the fishing industry in the area.
He said the government had reaffirmed its commitment to exploring alternative measures to achieve the objectives, which were initially envisioned through the implementation of the closed season, including engaging fisherfolk and monitoring their activities throughout the period to ensure compliance.
“The Ministry has also instructed Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to engage fisherfolk, monitor their activities within the period and this will help us observe holidays.”
He said that the appeal by the GNCFC for artisanal fishers to observe traditional holidays was to promote sustainable fishing practices and ensure the long-term health of Ghana’s marine resources to protect the livelihoods of those who depended on it.
He said artisanal fishers played a critical role in Ghana’s fishing industry, and their cooperation was essential for the success of conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, Madam Emilia Arthur, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, at a press briefing on Monday, June 23, announced July 1 to 31 as the official date for the 2025 closed fishing season for inshore fleets while industrial trawlers would observe it until August 31.
She noted that other independent bodies were also tasked to assess the impact of the exemption of the artisanal fishers from the closed season and present their finding to guide subsequent seasons.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie