Fishing Stock In Danger

Coastal Resources Centre, a research institution at the University of Rhode Island, USA, has indicated that the country's fishing stock will soon deplete due to competition between artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fleets and the violation of fishing laws.

The situation has deteriorated in the Western Region to the extent that significant employment opportunities that used to be the preserve of majority of fishing folks have almost disappeared.

It is in respect of this that Coastal Resources Centre, in collaboration with United States Agency International Development (USAID) on Thursday launched an awareness creation publication dubbed: 'Hen Mpoano, Our Coast, Our Future" to help reverse the trend.

The 72-page publication on Building Capacity for Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Coastal Zone also seeks to tackle issues of fishing along the coastal belt of the Western Region.

The publication is an innovative review of governance issues in the fisheries sector in the Western Region.

It is aimed at helping Ghanaians, particularly people in the Western Region to appreciate the complexities of the evolving coastal areas and plan for future generations.

The publication is divided into five chapters. The first chapter of the report reviews the long-term changes along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and its associated Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) while Chapters 2 and 3 deal with issues relating to accelerated change in the Western Region coastal zone.

The fourth chapter highlights the current governance system and the core issues to be confronted in future while the final chapter suggests an action plan that builds on the strengths of the existing governance system to reduce its weakness.

It is intended to sensitize the general public on issues in the coastal districts of the Western Region and create awareness of coastal issues.

Alhaji M. Jallow, Senior Fisheries Officer, UN Food and Agriculture Organization of the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), in a statement, said fishing is an important source of income for most households in  coastal communities.

He said fish from freshwater and aquaculture account for 4.5% of total output and fisheries and aquaculture contribute to the country's GDP.'

Alhaji Jallow pointed out that fish is the preferred and cheapest source of animal protein, adding that about 75% of the total annual production is consumed locally.

'The average per capita consumption of fish is estimated at 23kg per annum, representing 60 per cent of animal protein intake.

According to him, the smoking and distribution of small pelagics provide significant employment opportunities in most of the communities.

Alhaji Jallow lamented that there appears to be no legal framework on co-management, fleet size limits or gear limitations in the Fisheries Act of 2002.

'However it is hoped that the revised and updated fisheries regulations will address the omissions for a food secure Ghana with sustained livelihoods'.

Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development called on all stakeholders to position themselves strategically and support government to positively tackle all issues with regards to the oil find.

Peter Argo, Deputy Mission Director of USAID, on his part, stressed that the publication will help improve the sustainable management of the fishing sector to enhance food security and livelihood in the fishing communities.

By Stella Danso Addai