Fishermen pledge not to sell unwholesome fish

The National Fish Process and Traders Association (NFPTA) and the Shama Fish Mongers Association (SFMA), at the weekend pledged not to buy unwholesome fish from fishermen.

According to the Executive Members of the associations the action taken by their members would go a long way to discourage fishermen from landing unwholesome fish catch from expedition.

Madam Susuana Bissue, the Vice President of the SFMA and Mr Thomas Swapim, the Western Regional President of the NFPTA declared their stance in turns at the launch of the “Hygienic Fish Handling Campaign “, at Shama.

The campaign was organised by the Daasgift Quality Foundation, (DQF), a local based non- governmental organisation, an implementing partner of the USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project for fishmongers at Shama and its surrounding communities.

They based their action on reports that some fishermen return from fishing expedition with fish caught with chemicals that make them go bad fast. The unwholesome fish is detected by its changed colour.

According to the two leaders, the associations have taken stringent measures to discourage illegal fishing practices in order to protect the fisheries business.

Madam Bissue expressed gratitude to the DQF, which has sensitised them to adapt to the hygienic practice of fish handling right from the landing beaches to the market, saying before the education, fish was being treated on the ground at the shores for sale “but now we trade on table tops from the beaches to the market”.

However, Nana Kwesi Effrim, Chief Fisherman of Bentsir claimed that fishermen from the area comply with the fisheries regulations.

Nana Akosua Gyamfiaba, Queen mother of Nyanneykrom urged the fishmongers to do away with the unorthodox way of fishing and rather put the knowledge acquired in fish management, in order to promote their business.

Mrs. Gifty Baaba Asmah, Executive Director of the DQF said the foundation noticed that a lot of fish on the market are of low quality, hence the decision to create awareness on the need for immediate change in fish management right “from the net to the plate” for enhanced and sustainable livelihoods in the fishing communities.