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31.03.2008 General News

Fishermen To Cough $1,000

31.03.2008 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

ANY FISHING vessel or fisherman caught fishing near the crude oil rig of Kosmos Energy Company at Cape Three Points in the Western Region will be fined $1,000.

This was the outcome of a meeting between the company, which is drilling the crude oil found off the shores of Cape Three Points, fishing vessel owners and fishermen recently.

Mr. Francis Eshun, Chairman of Ghana Inshore Fishermen's Association in Sekondi, made this known to DAILY GUIDE on Wednesday when contacted to expatiate on steps being taken to make the fishermen aware of the danger they pose to the rig if they continue to fish around it.

He expressed optimism that no fisherman would go near the rig to fish because they had been spoken to, and pointed out that all the chief fishermen and the various fishing associations had met with the fishing vessel owners to deliberate on the dangers in fishing near an oil rig.

“In fact, it had been unanimously agreed by fishermen and fishing vessel owners that a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) be imposed on any fisherman caught fishing near an oil rig,” he revealed.

According to Mr. Michael Dickson, Base Manager of Kosmos Energy, the workers on the rig are now in a safe working environment.

“We are grateful to the fishermen for their cooperation. We wanted to be safe and the rig men to be safe”, he told DAILY GUIDE in a telephone interview.

He noted that drilling from the oil rig was going ahead with no problems, and that there seemed to be mutual understanding between the oil company and the fishermen.

DAILY GUIDE reported two days ago that in the past few weeks, some fishermen had been fishing near the Kosmos oil rig off the shores of the Western Region, and entangling their nets around the foundations of the rig, thereby putting the lives of the workers and the entire rig in great danger.

When Captain Stephen Darbo, Officer in Charge of the fleet of the Western Naval Command was contacted in Sekondi, he said the navy was still patrolling the seas where the rig is located.

He added that the navy had even suggested to Kosmos Energy to put some armed naval personnel on the rig, but management of the company said they would have to seek approval from the mother company in the United States of America.

From Sam Mark Essien, Takoradi

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