Mahama to abolish closed season for artisanal fishermen

The closed season observation is supposed to be part of Ghana's Sustainable Fisheries Management to help salvage the country's depleting fish stock.

But the measures is fraught with a plethora of challenges and difficulties. The life of artisanal fishermen seemingly stops during the closed fishing season as they wait for the ban to be lifted after a month of painful waiting.

Besides, the closed season comes with other several disadvantages:

Economic impact: Closed fishing seasons can have a negative impact on the local economy, particularly in areas where fishing is a major industry. Fishermen may lose income during the closed season, and businesses that rely on fishing-related tourism may also suffer.

Illegal fishing: Some fishermen may choose to ignore closed fishing seasons and continue to fish illegally. This can lead to overfishing and depletion of fish stocks, undermining conservation efforts.

Inconvenience for fishermen: Closed fishing seasons can be frustrating for fishermen who rely on fishing for their livelihood. They may have to travel further to find open fishing grounds or find alternative sources of income during the closed season.

Disruption of fishing traditions: Closed fishing seasons can disrupt traditional fishing practices and cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations. This can have a negative impact on the social fabric of fishing communities.

Lack of enforcement: In some cases, closed fishing seasons may not be effectively enforced, allowing illegal fishing to continue unchecked. This can undermine conservation efforts and lead to further depletion of fish stocks as mentioned earlier.

Based on these challenges and the kind of suffering our fisher folks go through during the closed fishing season, former President John Dramani Mahama who is also the 2024 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress has promised to exempt artisanal fishermen and inshore vessels from the ban. However, the season would be closed to industrial trawlers.

It is significant to note that, prior to the implementation of the closed fishing season, artisanal fishermen in Ghana had a long-standing custom of refraining from fishing on Tuesdays in order to give the sea a break. And this custom which is intended to cure the problem for which the fishing season is closed is still followed by most coastal regions, if not all.

Anthony Obeng Afrane