New Takoradi fishers, value chain operators unprepared for closed fishing season

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, July 2, GNA -Fishers, Fisher mongers, fish porters and scalers have expressed their dissatisfaction about the unannounced closure of the sea.
They told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the government promised not to close the sea and for them they had not put in preparatory measures in terms of saving to handle the current closure.
Mr. James Akramah, canoe owner at new Takoradi, said the decision to allow canoes to fish was not palatable to the boat and other bigger vessel fishers.
He said: “If you are closing the sea, it should be for all fishers at once…how can we starve while others go to sea.”
Mr. Matthew Quaicoe, canoe fisher, said that though canoes could go fishing, the ban on the use of light had made many of the fishers also join the closure ….”because without light, we cannot get any good catch”.
Salamatu Issah, a fish scale remover at the New Takoradi landing bay, said: “I came around to work only to be told that the fishers are not going to fish…what will I be doing or feeding on in the next one month”.
The artisanal fishers and their value chain operators therefore called on the government to rescind the decision.
Mr. Kwabena Mensah, fish seller at the New Takoradi landing bay said: “you told us you will not close the sea; how come…because we did not make any preparations for the season.”
He said: “Next time, they should inform us about a specific time and date ahead of time to prepare adequately for the closure “.
Madam Comfort Sam, a fish monger tasked the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to ensure that all types of fishers both industrial and artisanal abided by the Fisheries regulations.
“When the Minister said we should not go fishing on Tuesdays, the small and big canoes obeyed but the boats and other vessels did not “, she added.
Nana Bondzie, a fisher, said chemical fishing continued to be a huge health concern and called on the Ministry and the Fisheries Commission to employ detective devices across the Shores of the country to save the health of Ghanaians.
At the Sekondi landing bay, three boats which landed had a tough time with the authorities.
GNA