Marine Police arrests fisherman for suspected light-fishing

The newly established Ghana Marine Police Unit at Aiyinase in the Western Region has arrested a boat-owner whose fishing company is suspected of fishing with lights.

The owner of the boat, Mr Joe Fanmilk, from Ekumfi Narkwa in the Central Region, has since been given police bail pending further investigations.

A source from the Marine Police made this known to the Ghana News Agency at Half Assini on Saturday.

He said at about 0500 hours on July 11, some members of Mr Joe’s company which had returned from a fishing expedition with a bumper catch, were seen removing a generator, quantities of electrical bulbs and wires from their boat.

The source said some fishermen in area alerted the Marine Police who after conducting a search, retrieved the generator and the other items from a house belonging to Mr Fanmilk.

The source said the items were handed over to the Half Assini Police for further investigations.

Mr Francis Tayi, a fisherman at Half Assini, commenting on the issue said, it is illegal to fish with lights, since the practice has been banned by government.

He said fishing with light is a method where powerful bulbs tied to electrical wires are dropped under the sea while the generating plant on the boat powers the light.

The fishermen then cast their nets around the lights and catch all type of fish, including small ones that had been attracted to the light source, he said.

This is bad as it could lead to the depletion of fish in the sea, Mr Tayi said.

Source: GNA