Angry fishermen complain bitterly about the untold hardship of closed-fishing season
Some Fisher folks within the Jamestown community have expressed their anger at the Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry over relief items that was supposed to be given to them during the closed fishing season.
Items that were mainly foodstuffs like bags of rice and oil allegedly could not get into the hands of the fishermen in the community stirring their anger and dissatisfaction.
They complained bitterly that, upon arrival of the foodstuff there were some scuffles over the foodstuff when it was time to share which caused most of them not to benefit from the gesture.
One of the fishermen who were fortunate enough to have benefited from the gesture also complained that considering his family size although he benefited from the gesture, it was not enough for him.
Some of the incensed fisher folks have in fact gone ahead to threaten the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture not to come to their end to talk about any closed fishing season because it brought untold economic and societal hardship to them.
Broader and extensive consultation is needed before this is practised, according to the fishermen before a successful closed fishing season can be achieved.
Closed fishing season as it is being practised for not quite long is to help boost the bumper harvest of fish each year in Ghana. A for a period of about two months, the fishing season is closed for artisanal and industrial fishing in order to allow depleting fish stock to restock by reproduction.
The practice is backed by sections 76(3) and 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) which has the objective of avoiding the over-exploitation of the fish stocks and the replenishing of the depleted stock. This year’s season was closed from July 1 through to August 31.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
