Government against use of flash light in fishing – Kwesi Ahwoi

Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), had reminded fisher folks that the use of flash light in fishing was illegal and offenders would be made to face the law.

He said that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had acquired two more naval boats for patrol on the high seas to check illegal fishing.

Mr Ahwoi was addressing fisher folks at Bantuma near Elmina, in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality of the Central Region, on Friday after which he presented about 2,000 chorkor smokers, fish smoking facilities, and five bundles of fishing nets to members of the landing Beach in the area.

The items that worth GH¢34,000, were purchased with part of proceeds from the sale of premix fuel supplied to fisher folks in the municipality.

The fisher folks conferred on Mr. Ahwoi was the title “Togbui Koshi Dagadu” for his dedication to fishing activities.

Mr Kojo Lagaa, a fisherman in the area, appealed to government to soften its stand on the use of flash light in fishing and rather “devise rotating light fishing for at least two months in every fishing season, particularly in August to help sustain the livelihood of fisher folks to prevent the fishing communities from becoming impoverished for the rest of their lives.”

It would be recalled that fishermen along the coast of the Region held press conferences to appeal to the government to allow light fishing because the orthodox method was not effective as the ozone depletion had affected sea fishing.

They said that there was no scientific proof that light fishing was bad per se, if the right fishing nets were used.

Nii Amasa Namoale, Deputy Minister of MOFA in-charge of Fisheries, assured Ghanaians that the NDC government would ensure regular supply of premix to all fishing communities to keep them in business.

The Chief Fisherman of Bantuma, Nana Simon, said the usage of Chorkor smoker would stem the throwing of excess fish into the sea during bumper harvest.

Source: GNA