By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Oct. 9, GNA – Mr. Micheal Abakah-Edu, an Executive Member of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council, has expressed optimism about the various Fisheries sector interventions and its ultimate contribution to fish stock.
He said the three-year new canoe ban on sea dubbed: “Canoe Moratorium”, the canoe embossment Programme and the closed season are some key activities being implemented by stakeholders under the Sustainable Fisheries Management Programme to increase fish stock and promote sustained blue economy.
Mr. Abakah-Edu, who is also the Western Regional Acting Secretary to the Council, said the Fisheries Biomass project discovered that the sea could effectively manage between 9,000 to 12,000 as against the current data of 14,000 which coupled with other bad fishing practices were taking a huge toll on marine resources.
He said, “65 percent of us stakeholders at various engagements agreed on the three-year ban on new canoe on the sea as a significant step to reversing the increasing decline of these marine resources.”
The National Executive Member said responsible fishing within the value chain was imperative…and we have a high level of hope to improve upon the volume of catch in the long run.”
The moratorium, he said, had a yearly review mechanism to monitor success rate.
Mr. Abakah-Edu, who also touched on Ghana’s Open Access to sea by fishers, urged the government to tighten the laws on bad practices as it was the only means to enhance compliance and curtail destructive tendencies on the sea.
The government, he advised, must procure detective devises to monitor activities at sea and make punishment more punitive to deter fishers from indulging in unhealthy behaviour.
Touching on yields after the closed season, the National Executive Member said high sea levels, the sun and climate change visibilities notwithstanding, showed positive fish stock levels.
He advised fishers to grow in voluntary compliance to ensure a profitable sector for all.
GNA