Kumasi, Aug 16, GNA - Mrs Gladys Asmah, the Minister of Fisheries, has said there were Israeli experts in the country training extension officers in advance aquaculture technique.
She said China and Israel were also assisting the ministry with a view to making Ghana a leading nation in West Africa in aquaculture, research, production, food security and fish feed.
Mrs Asmah was addressing a meeting of trained fish farmers in the northern sector of the country in Kumasi on Wednesday. "Fortunately for us we have the natural resources and the manpower to execute this agenda", she said.
The minister said efforts would be made to provide modern fish feed systems and a hatchery to breed enough fingerlings to feed numerous fish ponds that would be constructed for trainees and other farmers. Mrs Asmah said fish production had been dwindling, prompting the government to encourage importation of frozen fish to augment the local catch.
"It is therefore your duty as fish farmers to work hard and produce as much fish as possible to fill the gap because fish imports cost the government about 200 million dollars annually." The minister said efforts were being made to secure funds to build fishing harbours and fish landing sites at Axim, Elmina, Mumford, James Town, Dzameni and Tapa Abotoase on the Volta Lake. Nana Bosomtwe Frimpong, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Fish Farmers' Association, advised the young farmers to adopt modern fishing techniques to produce quality fish.
