We must stop illegal fishing - Chief fisherman
The Western Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC), Nana Kojo Conduah IV, has revealed that despite laws against illegal fishing, most fishermen continue to engage in the act.
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He said it was about time the law was applied since several educational programmes organised to educate the fishermen on the negative effects of light fishing did not yield any result.
Nana Conduah, who made these remarks at Miemia in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region at this year’s regatta organised by the council with support from the Jubilee Partners, said fishermen engaged in such illegal acts were fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
“Without doubt, I can say that light fishing and use of dynamite which are not only illegal but also pose a threat to the sustainability of our livelihood are ongoing,” he said.
Though the government, he said, had done its best to limit the practice, the implementation of the law had become a problem.
Nana Conduah said fishing still remained one of the important trades in the country, employing and feeding millions, and that the industry and marine environment must be projected to the core.
The regatta
The regatta was organised for fishermen in the six coastal metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the Western Region. The districts are the Ahanta West, Shama, Jomoro and Ellembelle districts, Nzema East municipality and the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis.
The games, which were aimed at providing a socialisation platform for fisherman in the region, as well as a platform to discuss the challenges facing the sector with possible solutions, included various disciplines such as canoe racing, orange picking and tug of peace. The participants also took part in the boat race.
