[ 2016-10-25 ]

Ghana Imports $135m Fish
Ghana imported $135 million worth of fish last
year due to the reduction in the country’s fish
stock, Sherry Aryeetey, Minister for Fisheries and
Aquaculture, has stated.

Ms Aryeetey, who disclosed this during the
commemoration of the 1st anniversary of the
adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) in Accra recently, said Ghana’s fish
stock has reduced because of the pollution of
ocean with plastic materials which has gravely
affected aquatic life five nautical miles
offshore.

She also blamed the situation on the chronic
challenges of over fishing, habitat change and
pollution, which had affected fish breeding.

Because of the aforementioned, all tuna vessels
had been put out of sea for two months to help
build Ghana’s fish stock, she said, adding that
small fishing trawlers would be out of sea in
November to achieve the same objectives.

Sanctions

“Five vessels have so far been sanctioned after
they were found to be fishing around the
country’s buffer zone near her oil rigs. They
were made to pay huge fines.

“Any vessel caught offloading fish on the high
seas is a violation of marine laws and attracts $2
million. Those who are caught for the second time
would pay $1 million.”

Ghana, currently, is able to produce 20,000 metric
tons of fish annually although Ghanaians consume
950,000 metric tons of fish annually.

Waste disposal monitoring

In order to help the check the pollution of the
ocean, she said her outfit was working with
international organizations that are using
satellite systems to monitor vessels that dispose
of waste on the high seas and also fight illegal
fishing.

Piracy and drug trafficking

“Piracy attracts very serious sanctions in our
oceans. Pirates stop vessels on high seas and
seize marine oils and other goods. Lately, oceans
are being used for drug trafficking to Ghanaian
villages.

“The drug lords have now resorted to using the
sea routes for trafficking drugs after they
realized that they were intercepted at the
airports.”

A Norwegian research vessel, which was contracted
to examine the beaches of Ghana from Aflao to
Axim, found that due to new policies in place,
Ghana’s fish resources were beginning to
increase.

Insurance

Ms Aryeetey added that her outfit was ready to
insure about a million fishermen, adding that it
was also planting coconut trees to prevent coastal
erosion.

She urged NDPC to consider urban housing for
communities along the coast.

Mining

She called on the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to regulate mining companies so that cyanide
and mercury would not be spilled into river bodies
to negatively affect food security.

Fish contributes over $1 billion every year (4.2
percent) to Ghana’s gross domestic product and
makes 60 percent contributions to animal protein
consumption.

Background

Between 1700 and 1800 when Fantes introduced
fishing to Ghana, they extended fishing to Benin
and Nigeria.

Ghanaian fishermen are currently found in most
ECOWAS countries.

Ten percent of Ghanaians are engaged directly and
indirectly in fishing.

Tony Mensah-Abrampam, Country Director of Praxis
Africa, organizers of the event, urged the media
to help educate Ghanaians on how to keep the ocean
clean and help protect fish.

Source - Daily Guide

... go Back