Some Fisherfolk across the country are mounting pressure on the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to provide them a copy of the closed season assessment report.
With that, the Fisherfolk will be informed about the activities of the Ministry, the fisherfolks, the achievement of the closed season amongst others.
According to them, this will also inform their next action as far as the closed season exercise is concerned.
On Saturday, July 1, 2023, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson performed a colourful ceremony to commence this year’s closed season at Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality of the Central Region.
The season which started on July 1 is expected to last till August 31, 2023.
Both canoe and inshore fishers and industrial trawlers are expected to observe the closed season till August 31.
Since its inception, this is the first time Ghana is playing the closed season with Cote d’Ivoire and Togo is expected to join in 2024.
Prior to the start of the closed season, the Ministry introduced the Ghana Fisheries Recovery activity to help aid fisher folk during the Closed Season.
The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr Moses Anim disclosed that 550 fisherfolks have already benefited from the Ghana fisheries recovery activity.
Read Also: 550 fisherfolk benefit from Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity -Moses Anim
But speaking on Atinka TV‘s morning show, Ghana Nie, the National President, Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana(CaFGOAG), Nana Kweigyah registered the frustrations of the fisherfolk during the closed season.
He said although the Government presented to them as though the closed season was achieving great results, the fisherfolk were yet to see the report to assess for themselves whether the closed season was having a positive impact on fishing as stated by the Ministers.
Nana Kweigyah recalled that at the last meeting with the Deputy Fisheries Minister, he was asked to provide a copy of the closed season assessment report and he assured them that it would be uploaded online.
However, after months of waiting, the fisherfolk are yet to see the report.
“We have done 2019, 2021, 2022 and now we are doing 2023 but we are yet to receive the assessment report. What is in the report that is not good for fisherfolk to see? Every year, they package it and come and tell us that the closed season helps with this or that. When will fisherfolk get a copy?,” he quizzed.
Nana Kweigyah continued,”The Deputy Minister said they will upload it online and till now, they have not said anything to us and so how then do we have confidence in the closed season?”
Meanwhile, he said they have not observed any positive results from the closed season, adding that the ban has rather brought hardship unto fisherfolk.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori