Two fishermen arrested for defying fishing ban

Cape Coast, Sept. 3, GNA - Two fishermen, who defied a month-long ban on fishing in the Fosu Lagoon and went fishing in it just before customary rites were performed on Tuesday to lift the ban, have been arrested.

The ban on fishing in the Lagoon, as well as on noise making, were imposed as part of activities marking the celebration of the annual 'Fetu Afahye' festival of the chiefs and people of the Oguaa Traditional Area.

The two fishermen have been handed over to the Police and their catch confiscated after they had gone to fish in the Lagoon ahead of the final rites by the Chief Priest of the area.

Normally, the Chief Priest pours libation after which the 'Omanhene's net' is cast thrice into the Lagoon amidst the firing of musketry to signify the lifting of the ban.

The rituals were subsequently performed, but there was no catch when the Omanhene's net was cast into the Lagoon.

The ceremony was heralded by a regatta, which was won by the Anaafo-Bentsi Asafo company, which received a cash prize of 300,000 cedis and T-shirts, with Brazil Number Three and Nkum companies, placing second and third and took away cash prizes of 200,000 and 100,000 cedis some T-shirts, respectively. Continental Christian Traders Limited, an Accra-based fishing gear manufacturing company, sponsored the regatta. There will be a grand durbar at the Victoria Park on Saturday, September 6 to climax the celebrations after a state gathering and purification rites on Friday. 03 Sep. 03