Fishing Ban: Fishermen reject new interventions

Some fishermen have rejected the new interventions introduced by government following the ban on all fishing activities in the country.

Government has imposed a ban on all fishing activities effective Tuesday, August 7 to September 4 2018 to ensure the dwindling stock in the country’s waters is replenished.

Some interventions have been introduced to sustain the fishermen during the closed season.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament, Tuesday, 24 July 2018, said: “To mitigate the negative impact of the closed season, the following measures have been put in place. Alternative livelihood committee has helped selected communities to implement alternative livelihood schemes. Example; collecting and processing of plastic for money.

“Landing beach committees are to use some mixed portions of the 53% of the premix fuel margins meant for development to all fishers identified within their landing beach committees.”

However, speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Wednesday, 25 July 2018, Kwabena Badu, who represents a group of fishermen at the Elmina Landing Beach said: “The interventions introduced are not what we are asking for. These measures cannot replace what we are going to lose at the end of the day.”

Maanoma, a fisherman, also at the Elmina Landing Beach, said: “Clearly the Minister doesn’t know what she is doing. These interventions cannot sustain fishermen in anyway and we reject them.”

He added: “We have indicated our position that the timing of the ban is wrong and also the duration is problematic for us. These are the issues they must address.”