Fishermen in the Central Region are looking forward to a good season in order to make up for the month-long ban without any stream of income.
Speaking to The Coastal Eye after the lifting of the ban, a fisherman who gave his name as Bedu said that it will be in the government’s interest for fishermen to have a good fishing season. He added that if they did not see any significant increase in the quality and quantity of fish, they will not comply with the close season next year.
Some fishermen interviewed were not impressed on their first fishing expeditions after the ban was lifted. They lamented that banning artisanal and inshore fishing without extending it to the per trawlers and other bigger vessels being operated by foreigners in the Ghanaian waters will not make any change. The obviously livid fishermen warned after the one-month ban.
Some of them were of the view that it was too early, yet they were hoping for a better catch but were quick to add that just a month ban cannot make any tremendous change if bad fishing practices and per trawling activities were not halted.
They added that government must stay true to their promise of patrolling on the Ghanaian territorial waters to prevent foreign vessels from entering the zone earmarked for inshore and artisanal fishing.
Alternative Jobs
Livelihood in most fishing communities especially in Elmina revolves around fishing and other fishing activities. Fishmongers, ‘Boat Krakyes’ (to wit Boat clerks) who take records of the fishing activities at the coast, head porters, and women who descale the fish for a fee are all rendered idle and temporally unemployed during lean seasons.
Economic life in the towns grounds to a halt in the lean season when the fishermen experience low catch. Their purchasing power reduces, directly affecting the market women, beauticians, dressmakers and other service providers.
For this reason, some fisherman and fishmongers appealed to the government to provide them the alternative livelihoods so that they can still feed and provide for their families.
They added that banning them for a full month can be detrimental to even the security of their society since fishing is their main source of income.
Nana Joojo Solomon, the Executive Member of the Canoe Fishing Association, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM on 10th July 2019, called on the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to call a stakeholder meeting to discuss extensively the period that will help save the endangered species in the fish stock.
He opined that the one-month ban would not make any tremendous change since the timing was wrong.
He added that the appropriate gestation period for the fishes is between July and September. He noted that the three months will allow the fishes to get pregnant and reproduce their fingerlings and allow time to grow well.
Background
On the 15th May of this year, the government announced the commencement of its ban on fishing in Ghana’s waters, dubbed ‘close season’ for artisanal fishing in Ghana.
The ban which was to be implemented in August and September of last year was suspended due to a massive outcry from the country’s fisher folks.
The ban according to the Fisheries Ministry was to save some species of fishes such as mackerel, anchovies, and others that are going into extinction in the country’s waters due to poor fishing practices.
The Ministry further explained that it would also allow fishes, in general, to breed thereby increasing their stock and sustain corresponding bumper harvest for the fishermen. The closed season law was passed in 2002 and it is mandatory for the fisheries sector to observe it.
By Alberta Eshun
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