Government intensifies fight against pair trawling
The government is working hand in hand with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) and the National Premix Fuel Committee to halt pair trawling along the territorial waters of the country to protect local fishermen and the fishing industry.
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In line with that, MOFAD has directed the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU) made up of personnel from the Ghana Navy, the Marine Police, fishermen and other security agencies to intensify their patrol and monitoring activities within the territorial waters of the country.
Mr Kweku Sersah-Johnson, the Chairman of the National Premix Fuel Committee, made this known at the inauguration of the Sekondi and Lower Sekondi landing beach committees (LBCs) at the Western Regional Administration in Sekondi.
He said while the FEU doubled its vigilance to prevent pair trawling, the National Premix Fuel Committee had embarked on massive education of local fishermen and fishmongers to desist from buying fish from pair trawlers.
Mr Sersah-Johnson said the activities of these illegal foreign boats and ships, which plied their trade in the waters of Ghana with unorthodox fishing practices, placed the fish stock and the fishing industry in Ghana in a perilous situation.
Transparency
In his remarks, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, called on the members of the two reconstituted landing beach committees to be transparent and selfless in discharging their duties to support the efforts of the government to ensure that premix fuel was available and affordable to the local and artisanal fishermen.
He expressed his gratitude and that of the regional administration to the National Premix Fuel Committee for the inauguration of the LBCs which paves the way for the regular supply of premix to the fishermen in the two communities and beyond.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mr Alfred Ekow Djan, said the government continued to subsidise the price of premix fuel in order that the fishermen could have a better and more comfortable life. It was, therefore, important that no one hindered the realisation of that noble objective.
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The National Premix Fuel Committee in all inaugurated four LBCs in the Western Region during its duty tour, including new ones for Enzinlibo in the Jomoro District and Anto-Apewosika at Axim.