Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana

Adverts

AGRICULTURE

No supply of premix in August – Acting Chief Director of MoFAD

Recalcitrant fishermen who are bent on flouting the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development’s directive in August when this year’s “close season” is implement would have to revise their notes.

Date Created : 6/28/2018 9:39:50 AM : Story Author : Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

This is because, MoFAD is also instituting measures to ensure the “close season”; a period when marine fishing would be banned for one month is strictly observed.

The Acting Chief Director of MoFAD, Professor F. K Nunoo has hinted that one of the measures to be adopted would be to stop the supply of premix fuel to the landing beaches during the period the ban would be in force.

And because it is envisaged that some people would want to hoard the fuel prior to the ban, there would be strict monitoring of how premix supplied to the various landing beaches are utilized to avoid excess supply that may motivate hoarding, Prof. Nunoo stated.

There would also be regular patrol on the sea to monitor activities on the seas

Addressing the media at a media training workshop in Accra, the acting Chief Director noted that it is not true that the fishermen have not been properly briefed about the implementation of the close season, adding it has been in the Fisheries Management Act, as all along but its implementation in 2016, and 2017 was limited to trawlers, and industrial and semi-industrial vessels.

But this year, not only has the months been changed to August based on scientific data, but it will affect all fishing activities including artisanal fishing.

MoFAD is working hard to halt the rate of depletion of the countries fish stock, and has decided to fully implement the close season in August, a period scientifically proven as the best period time for spawning.

The close season is been implemented alongside serious fight against illegal fishing of all forms both in marine and inland fishing activities.

Meanwhile, fishermen from three regions along the coast; Volta, Western and Central have all indicated their support for the close season except Greater Accra that has shown resistance to the implementation on culture grounds because August is the period for their traditional festival (Homowo), and during the period they use a particular type of fish for their rituals.

Alternative Livelihoods

Professor F. K Nunoo announced that alternative livelihood options are been considered for those in the artisanal fishing sector.

There are talks to engage the fisher folks in plastic recycling activities, salt iodization among other viable ventures that may be brought forth.

Meanwhile, there are also talks to introduce a number of fishermen along the coast to aquaculture under various modules the Ministry is working with.

He however suggested that parts of funds that accrued to the various landing beaches as a result of the sale of premix fuel could be used to pay fishermen for the month of August to mitigate whatever financial challenges that may confront them.