Minister calls for research vessel on Ghana’s water bodies

Mr Nayon Bilijo, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, has stated the need for research to determine the extent of availability of fishes in the country’s waters.

According to him, a research vessel on the coastal waters would help ascertain the claims that the waters were over exploited and had reduced the number of fishes, with the income per effort of fishermen falling each day.

Mr Bilijo said this when the Italian Ambassador paid a courtesy call on him in Accra on Tuesday.

He said one of the challenges confronting the Sector was high cost of infrastructure, including fish meal and fingerlings production to increase yields.

Mr Bilijo said Government’s vision for the ministry was to develop the aqua-culture sector, adding that, the Ministry would focus more on public- private partnership, which would be rolled out in the West Africa Regional Fisheries Project, funded by the World Bank towards revamping the aqua-culture sector.

Mr Bilijo mentioned that the Project would be centred on five key components, including increasing the contribution of fish resources to the national economy, support for small-scale aqua-culture development and programme management, monitoring and evaluation and regional coordination.

He stated that Ghana and Italy have had close relationship over the years, adding that, the Ministry would open its doors to investment opportunities from Italy to help develop the Sector.

Her Excellency Laura Carpini, Italian Ambassador noted that her visit was to familiarise with the priorities of the Ministry and explore ways of deepening the relationship between the two countries.

This, she said would be forwarded to the Italian Government for the appropriate response and further cooperation.

Source: GNA