Ice Plants Breakdown At Tema Fishing Habour

Three out of the six ice plants for the production of ice-blocks for fish preservation at the Tema Fishing Harbour have broken down.The remaining three are producing below capacity owing to the obsolete nature of the equipment.

The ice plants which are all within the Fishing Harbour area, include Nova Complex, Kas Fisheries, Kalewo Fisheries, Co-operative Fisheries, Smart Fisheries and the former State Fishing plant.

The near absence of ice plants is, therefore, causing problems for fishermen in the preservation of their catches at sea, before they land them. In an interview, the President of the Ghana Inshore Fishermen Association(GHIFA), Mr Victor Avokliyah, said the situation has forced the fishermen to travel all the way to Sekondi to buy ice- blocks.

He said when the blocks do not arrive on time, most fishermen are unable to go to sea. When they manage to go without the ice-blocks, they are forced to give away their fish at very reduced prices, lest it goes bad for lack of proper means of preservation.

The Chronicle issue of July 29, 2003 carried a story which reported a bumper harvest of fish at the Tema Fishing Harbour in the absence of preservation facilities, adding that fishermen sold fish for as low as ¢35,000 per crate, instead of the usual ¢150,000.

Mr Avorkliyah said that GHIFA has already complained to the authorities at the fisheries sector but the response has not been very encouraging.