No law on the use of lights in fishing - Flt. Lt. Tackey.

Sekondi, Feb.6, GNA- Flight Lieutenant Miltiades Tackey, National President of the Fisheries Association of Ghana has stated that there is no law on the use of light in fishing.

Therefore, fishermen in the Western Region can go about their operations until the February 29 deadline on the ban of the use of lights in fishing.

Fl. Lt. Tackey said this at a forum organised by the association at Sekondi on Thursday for fishermen drawn from Tema, Dwomo, Elmina, Sekondi and Takoradi.

He said, "All that exists is the fisheries act, which has been referred to Parliament, for ratification and serve as a regulatory measure aimed at banning the use of light in fishing, pair trawling and use of undersize and monofilament nets by fishermen".

He said the Association at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and other stakeholders in the fishing industry agreed to abolish the use of light in fishing on February 29 this year.

Fl. Lt. Tackey appealed to the fishermen to abide by the deadline to enable fish researchers and other monitoring groups to study the side effects of the use of light in fishing on the high seas.

"Fishermen can fish with lights only within approved areas, apart from Axim to Cape Three Points and estuaries."

Fl. Lt. Tackey said the Association had imported 120 in-board motor engines, gearboxes and winches for in-shore fishermen.

He disclosed that an additional 400 pieces of outboard motors have been imported, while 20,000 plastic crates were being manufactured to replace the wooden ones.

He assured the fishermen that the Association was doing everything possible to acquire fishing inputs at subsidised prices for distribution them.

Mr. Joseph Nii Armah-Quaye, National President of the Ghana In-shore Fisheries Association said there were still several unorthodox methods of fishing being practised in the country.

On January 8, this year, the police confiscated eight generators allegedly being used for fishing.

On Monday February 2, the Western Regional Security Council (REGSEC) held a meeting with some of the fishermen and announced that the use of light was illegal and had therefore, been banned in the region. The affected fishermen, petitioned the sector Minister, Mr. Edward M. Akita, but the Minister's directive for the release of the seized generators to their owners has not been complied with by the police.