Minister urges increased investment in fish farming

By Benjamin Akoto, GNA
Asikuma (E/R), Aug 11, GNA - Ms. Sherry Ayittey, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, has encouraged increased investment in fish farming, saying, it is more rewarding.

She said it was one area, Ghanaian entrepreneurs, should put in their money to create wealth and jobs for the population.

She made the call when she toured the West African Fish Company and the China Acquaculture Development at Tangor Fatikoper, during a working visit to the Eastern Region.

Ms. Ayittey was in the area to assess the impact of policies put in place by her ministry in the industry.

She raised concern about the situation where the nation annually imported about 500,000 metric tons of fish and said that needed to change.

She outlined plans to create fish farming, canoe fishing and conservation zones in the Volta Lake, and said, this had become important to conserve part of the lake's fish stock.

The Minister touched on the introduction of a new legal framework to help promote modern technologies to support the growth of fish farming ventures.

Under it, the well-established farms would be assisted to convert some of their facilities into training and breeding centres to train more farmers to increase fish production levels.

She said, this way, there would be enough fish on the local market at affordable prices.

Mr. Mark Towers, General Manager of West African Fish, informed the Minister that his company had been producing between 70 and 80 metric tons of fish every week.

He appealed to the government to take steps to control tilapia import to create space for the local farmers.

GNA