Fishermen Council calls for extra fishery holiday

The Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) is calling for an additional day in which fishermen will not go fishing as a measure to restock the depleting fish stock.

According to the GNCFC, although Tuesdays are traditional holidays for fisherfolks, it is believed that adding another day within the week, preferably Sunday, would be a blessing in disguise.

Speaking to Starr News on the sidelines of a Panel Discussion Session at Fish Festival in Accra, the acting president of the Council, Nana Jojo Solomon said, they expect the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Hawa Koomson to give a ministerial directive to that effect.

“We (fishermen) are given a one-day fishery holiday which is being violated by some others. We are expecting the Minister (for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development) to give a ministerial directive for an additional fishing holiday which should be on Sunday for the fish to replenish,” he explained.

The Acting President of GNCFC also called on fishermen to use the right channel to address their grievances through the leadership of the council.

According to him, since the Council is the leading Partisans fishery in Ghana who are responsible for the four coastal regions, it would be a mismatch to not pass through the council since it is their job.

Mr. Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, Programmes Manager for Friends of the Nation whose outfit partnered the MoFAD said, they will continue to put the relevant authorities on their toes in resolving issues of fishing irregularities.

He said, the project – Improving Fisheries Governance in West Africa and the wider-sub region (IFG) is implemented for a three-year period with funding from Oak Foundation and Ocean 5.

While commending the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) and Fisheries Commission (FC) for organizing the Fish Festival, he said, the exercise is an effective tool to promote Ghana’s fisheries.

Mr. Yamoah said, as partners of the IFG project, “we are of the firm conviction that stakeholders can work together to help secure Ghana’s fisheries in a sustainable manner.”

“Mobilizing stakeholder support for effective and timely monitoring and enforcement of fisheries laws, controlling overcapacity, stopping all forms of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the use of appropriate gears are important measures that must be considered,” he noted.

He added that: “Improving transparency is one of the best weapons Ghana has in the fight against illegal fishing that is driving its fish stocks to extinction and impoverishing local communities.

“Many of the measures such as publishing punishments meted out for fisheries crimes, publishing details of the true owners of each vessel, punishing anyone involved in illegal fishing, and ending landings of unlicensed species are simple, and can be implemented immediately,” the programme Manager stated.

“With these recommendations implemented alongside the closed season, Ghana should be able to secure its fisheries resource in a sustainable way,” he noted.

About the IFG project

The IFG Project is being implemented by Hen Mpoano (HM), Friends of the Nation (FoN), Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), TM Tracking (TMT) and the Fisheries Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).

The partners are working together to strengthen government and industry commitment to improve fisheries governance in key policy areas of enhanced transparency, law enforcement, collaborative management, and capacity building of key stakeholders in Ghana and the West African region.

Interventions at the national (Ghana) level will provide a learning platform for the sub-region for fisheries governance improvements and cooperation in the region. This will be done through the following means;

Gather information on illegal activities through remote monitoring, land and sea investigations, monitoring of landings, and training of local fishers to capture evidence.

Evaluate cases of IUU fishing, highlight gaps in prosecutions and make recommendations to the FC/MoFAD and Regional bodies

Strengthen fisheries prosecutorial chain to enhance the fight against IUU fishing

Organise Radio and TV discussions, and community film screenings to raise awareness among fishing communities and the wider public and build support to enforce fisheries laws.

Support cross regional cooperation, information exchange and sharing of best practice.