The National President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, Isaac Nana Kweigyah has stressed the need to manage the expectations of fishers during the closed season.
His comment is necessitated by the expectations of most fishers to have more gains after the closed season.
According to Nana Kweigyah, government needs to let fishers understand that despite the relevance of the one-month closure of the sea, its impact on the stock of fish that will be harvested after the closed season may not be too significant because of the duration of the closed season.
“The question is the one month enough? Is one year closed season enough? and the scientists will tell you No. So, if the scientists will say no for one month and for one year closed season, that is one month within one-year closed season then we need to let the fishers appreciate the fact that this is a process and it will take a little time for us to rebuild the stock.”
Speaking in an interview with ATLFMNEWS, Nana Kweigyah indicated that in order for the fishing community to benefit greatly from the closed season, measures must be put in place to address the illegalities which lead to overfishing.
He said, “we need to immediately put in place measures that will help bring to a halt the irregularities depleting our fish stocks. We know what the industrial vessels (trollers) are doing which is affecting the sea but we seem to be dragging our feet in taking steps to address this issue which should not be.”
A durbar was held at the Ekumfi Otuam Landing Beach in the Central Region on August 1, 2022, to mark the end of the Fishing Closed Season which took effect on July 1, 2022, for Artisanal and Inshore Fleets.
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of MoFAD, Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson said the closed season is constitutional and has come to stay as a stock recovery strategy.
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Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
