Edumadze warns fishermen against illegal fishing methods

Cape Coast, Oct 20, GNA - Mr Isaac Edumadze, the Central Regional Minister, has warned fishermen in the region who entice fishes with light to desist from the practice or face the full rigours of the law when caught.

He said it was sad that whereas fishermen in the Western Region had stopped fishing with light, the practice has assumed an alarming proportion in the Central Region even though the two regional co-ordinating councils issued the directive banning the practice simultaneously.

Mr Edumadze said this when he met the local committee members of the pre-mix association and a cross-section of fishermen in the region on Tuesday.

The meeting was organised at the instance of the Central Regional Coordinating Council to remind fishermen of the directive on the ban on fishing with light that was imposed about two years ago.

Some fishermen submerge lights into the sea to attract shoal of fishes, including young ones, and catch all of them.

He expressed regret that some fishermen in the region were only interested in making bumper catch without due regard to the harmful effects their unscrupulous practices were having on young shoals of fishes.

Mr Edumadze appealed to law-enforcement agents not to condone with such bad fishermen and to apply the law when they are caught. Nana Mesi Ansah IV, chief fisherman of Ekumfi-Otuam, said the directive was meant to protect the fishing industry and that they would expose fishermen who would flout it.

Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed, regional co-ordinator for pre-mix association, advised the local pre-mix committee members who owe the fuel companies to settle their debts on time to enable them get fresh allocation.