Government intensifies fight against pair trawling

The Government has adopted security measures to halt pair trawling along the territorial waters of Ghana to protect the fishing industry.

In line with this, the Ministry of Fisheries has directed the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU) made up of personnel of the Navy, Marine Police, and other security agencies as well as fishermen to intensify their patrol and monitoring within the territorial waters of the country.

Mr Kweku Sersah-Johnson, the Chairman of the National Premix Fuel Committee, said this at the inauguration of the Sekondi and Lower Sekondi Landing Beach committees on Monday.

He said whilst the Fisheries Enforcement Unit was vigilant in preventing pair trawling, the National Premix Fuel Committee had also embarked on massive education of local fishermen and other fish mongers to desist from buying fish from the pair trawlers.

Mr Sersah-Johnson said the activities of those illegal foreign boats in Ghana’s waters placed the fish stock and the fishing industry in a perilous situation.

Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, called on the members of the two reconstituted landing beach committees to be transparent and selfless in the discharge of their duties.

He said they should support the efforts of government to ensure that premix fuel was available and affordable to the local fishermen.

Mr Aidoo expressed gratitude to the National Premix Fuel Committee for the inauguration of the LBC’s to pave the way for the regular supply of premix to the fishermen in the two communities and beyond.

The National Premix Fuel Committee inaugurated four landing beach committees in the Western Region during their duty tour including Enzinlibo in the Jomoro Distrcit and Anto-Apewosika in Axim.