Tema inshore fishermen agree to suspend light fishing

Tema, April 21, GNA- The conflict between the Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association and the Ghana Canoe Fisheries Association over the use of light for fishing ended on Tuesday, as the inshore fishermen agreed to suspend the Light Aggregated Devise until the outcome of a research into its benefits to the fishing industry.

Leaders of the two associations, Mr. Joseph Nii Armah Quaye for the inshore and Mr. Daniel Armah Mensah for the canoe fishermen embraced each other and a libation poured to seal the end of the conflict at an emergency meeting at Tema Manhean, near Tema.

As a result of the conflict the canoe fishermen threatened to clash with the inshore fishermen at deep sea, should they continued to use the light fishing system and last Saturday they destroyed quantities of fish belonging to the inshore fishermen and this nearly created tension in the city.

The Tema Traditional Council invited the two groups to a meeting to amicably settle the matter.

The canoe fishermen complained that, the use of the light tended to deplete the stock as the fishes get into deep sea, thereby depriving them of good catch.

The inshore fishermen also argued out that the light has no harmful effect on aquatic life but rather the use of chemicals like carbide and dynamite kill marine materials.

Flight Lieutenant Nii Tackie, President of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG) urged them to take the destiny of the industry into their own hands and improve upon it.

He condemned the destruction of the fish saying that the NAFAG would not condone indiscipline and that the police would deal ruthlessly with those who flouted the law.

Nii Adjei Kraku II, Chief of Tema called for the enforcement of guideless or directives in the fishing industry to bring sanity into the system.

Two and half years ago the system of light aggregated devise was introduced on a pilot programme but this did not go down well with the canoe fishermen.

This compelled the Ministry of Fisheries to suspend the system in February this year, for a research into the system. 21 April 04