Ghana: Over 60 'dolphins', big fishes wash ashore dead in Axim, Osu and Keta in 2 days

More than 60 dolphin look-alike mammals, and large numbers of different species of fish have washed ashore along the coasts of Axim-Bewire in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, Osu in the Greater Accra Region and Keta in the Volta Region in the last two days.

In Axim-Bewire alone, Graphic Online's Dotsey Kobla Aklorbortu reported that over 60 dolphin look-alike mammals washed ashore were counted on Sunday, April 4, 2021 by the  indigenes.

Some of the large species of fish spotted in Osu in Accra were washed ashore on Friday, April 2, 2021.

In Keta in the Volta Region, plenty dead tuna also washed ashore on Sunday, April 4, 2021.

Environmental officers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in these areas are having a hectic time preventing members of the public from consuming the fish or have close contacts with them since it is still not clear what is killing them and causing them to wash ashore.

The fears of the Environmental officers are that many of these species of fish and sea mammals did not wash shore alive but dead and samples have to be taken for laboratory analysis.

At Axim-Bewire, in the Western Region, all 60 mammals, said to be melon-headed whales have gone missing from the shore, reports Graphic Online's Western Regional correspondent, Dotsey Kobla Aklorbortu.

It is believed the people who took them are going to process them for consumption since they attract very high price in the market.

Currently, Marine Police Unit of the Ghana Police Service and the Fisheries Commission are heading to the scene to help contain the situation and if possible retrieve them from those processing it.

Picture taken at Dzelukpe near Keta

Investigation of fish mortality

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Fisheries Commission on Sunday, April 4, 2021 said information got to the commission about the incident on Saturday , April 3, 2021, in the evening, in respect of the fish mortalities sighted at the Osu Castle Beach.

The statement from the commission issued by the Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Michael Arthur-Dadzie said a team from the Fish Health Unit and the Fisheries Scientific Survey Division of the Fisheries Commission was despatched to the area.

"Upon arrival at the beach the team noticed that there were dead small pelagic and demersal fishes at the shore.

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"Initial observation of the fishes showed no wound /lesions on their bodies. It is to be noted that after two to three days of death of an animal pathological signs change. Samples of the fish were collected on ice to be examined critically in the laboratory.

"Sea water samples have also been collected at the beach in the Korle Klottey District in the Greater Accra Region.

"Examinations will be carried out on the fish gills and other histological examinations will equally be conducted to ascertain any pathological cause. The sea water samples collected will be analysed for physical, chemical and other biological parameters.

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"The colour of the sea and temperature are normal. We assure everyone that we are working hard to ascertain the actual cause of mortality of the fish," the commission assured. Please for further information contact the – Michael Arthur-Dadzie (Esq.) on 0244735506.

Below is a video showing the dolphins washed ashore at Axim

Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh 

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Picture taken at Dzelukpe near Keta

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