By Hafsa Obeng/Muniratu Akweley Issah, GNA
Accra, Nov. 03, GNA – Plastic waste accumulating in the northern section of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour is preventing trawlers from accessing the facility for repairs, Engineer Stephen Kwame Owiah, the General Manager, Jamestown Fishing Habour, has said.
He said the problem was affecting the harbour’s ability to serve larger fishing vessels, although canoes could still enter the facility.
Mr Owiah said the waste was carried by the wind from a nearby quarry towards the harbour, with the situation worsened by the short breakwater, which allowed large quantities of plastic waste to enter the facility.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Jamestown, he described the plastic waste as a major challenge, particularly in the northern section of the harbour.
He said the inability of trawlers to access the ship repair yard was limiting the use of the facility and called for measures to address the problem.
Mr Owiah also identified the corrosive effects of the salty sea breeze on the harbour’s infrastructure as another challenge requiring regular maintenance.
He said the facility, which was commissioned about two years ago, was exposed to the harsh marine environment, necessitating continuous maintenance to protect its infrastructure.
He said management had put in place a maintenance structure to address the situation, adding that workers were currently undertaking roofing and painting works.
The manager said addressing the challenges was important to ensure that the harbour served fishermen and other users effectively and remained sustainable in the long term.
He noted that the harbour had four cold-storage units with a combined capacity of about 1,000 metric tonnes, but the current fish catch was insufficient to fill even one unit.
Mr Owiah expressed hope that improved access for trawlers would increase the use of the storage facilities and enable the harbour to operate closer to its capacity.
He said the harbour also had a 60-metric-tonne ice-making plant, which had ended the previous dependence of Jamestown fishermen on Tema for ice supplies.
The facility provided ice for fishermen and fishmongers to support fish preservation and marketing.
Mr Owiah said despite the challenges, the harbour continued to provide a safer environment for fishing canoes and improved trading facilities for fishmongers.
He said the number of fishermen using the harbour had increased from about 400 when he assumed duty last year to more than 500 at the last count, attributing the growth to the improved environment.
He urged fishermen and other users to adopt a good maintenance culture to protect the facility, while measures to address the plastic waste problem would help improve access and enhance the harbour’s operations.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporters: Hafsa Obeng/ Muniratu Akweley Issah
Reporters’ email addresses: [email protected]/[email protected]