Government has through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development announced the end of the 2023 closed season for canoe and inshore fishers in Ghana.
Moses Anim, the deputy sector Minister, during a ceremony for the announcement at Adina in the Volta region lauded the fishers for complying with the directive, while warning others of severe punishment for recalcitrance in subsequent years.
Section 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) mandated the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to implement a one-month closed season of the sea since 2015 also known as the biological rest period which is the spawning period of fish stocks.
It is believed the break allows the fish to reproduce to replace the lost population of the fish which occurred either through natural courses or harvesting.
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This year’s closed season which is the 8th, and began on July 1, 2023 until Monday, August 1, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council say the closure has been helpful to them. It’s Chairman, Jojo Solomon in his address noted, “fortunately, our researchers have told us that statistics are already proving that the closed seasons are being effective and are positively impacting our catch provided we will stop all the illegal forms of fishing.”
He called on the politicians to allow fishers handle their industry without interference especially when it comes to the premix fuel distribution.
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“We are demanding the total de-politicisation of the fisheries industry. We need to own our own industry because we do not have any other form of livelihood except this fishing business, so we need to gourd the industry. Why are non-fishers getting so much involved in the distribution of premix fuel?” he stated.
The MCE for Keta, Maxwell Lugudor in his address requested support from the marine police to ensure a proper enforcement of the closed season in subsequent years to help achieve the full impact.
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