Fishing Fees Increased By 800 Per Cent

The Ministry of Fisheries is to increase fishing licence fees by 800 per cent with effect from January 2002, according to a letter signed by Ms Emelia R. Anang, Acting Director of Fisheries.

The letter, which was sent to all fishing companies, stated that Tuna vessels with a throughput of 401 tonnes to 500 tonnes that was licensed at 5.4 million cedis in 1999/2000 would have to pay 32.9 million cedis a year.

Tuna vessels with throughput of 501 tonnes to 800 whose licence fee is currently pegged at 7.5 million cedis would pay 47.5 million cedis.

Shrimper with throughput of 401 tonnes to 500 tones that is now paying 9.6 million cedis would pay 57.8 million cedis in the new rate regime, while 501 tonnes to 800 tonnes category moves from 13.9 million cedis to 83.4 million cedis.

Trawler vessels of 401 tonnes to 500 tonnes would pay 38.8 million cedis up from 6.5 million cedis, while those of 500 tonnes to 800 tonnes have been increased from 9.3 million cedis to 56 million cedis.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Anang explained that the increases in the fees become necessary because of the effect of the cedi-dollar rates that went up last year.

She said the Minister of State in charge of Fisheries on whose directives that this was done, had at various times consulted the fishing companies and held discussions with them at different meetings on the need to increase the fees to meet the present economic trends.

Executive members of the Ghana Tuna Association, whom GNA contacted for their comments said: "We have just received the new fees and we have to study them before we can pass any comments."

Ghanaian fishing companies catch about 100,000 tonnes of tuna annually, out of which Pioneer Food Cannery (PFC) cans 40,000 tonnes, other canneries including Ghana Agro Foods Company (GAFCO), 10,000 tonnes and the remaining 50,000 tonnes are exported.

PFC pays 650 dollars per tonne of tuna. Ghana earns about 32.5 million dollars from the export of raw fish annually.