Fishermen in the Effutu Municipality, in collaboration with Cewefia Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, have joined forces to campaign against illegal fishing and the use of light for fishing on the sea.
Speaking with Nyankonton mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, some of the fishermen raised concerns over the negative impact of the practice on fishing and their livelihoods.
The fishermen noted that the ban on the use of light in the country’s waters must be enforced in order to save the fishing industry from collapse.
According to them, apart from depleting the fish stock, fishing with light also negatively affects the marine ecology by inhibiting fungal formation.
They noted that the practice also destroys small fish species that serve as feed for the bigger fish and drives fish deeper into the sea.
One fisherman said some of them had planned to take matters into their own hands if the issue was not addressed.
“There is a ban on the use of light for fishing, but people are still breaching the law. If I had my way, I would have taken matters into my own hands. But we live in a democratic and lawful state, and so when the issue occurs, they will tell you that an investigation must be conducted first.
I would also advise that this issue is not politicised. Our political leaders must be bold, deal with the issue, and not be afraid of losing an election. Several Ghanaians have left the country and are currently struggling in Egypt, Qatar, and Dubai because the fishing industry is struggling. We have to deal with the issue drastically.”
Mr. Michel Takyi, monitoring and evaluation manager for Cewefia Ghana, said people who use light for fishing should be taught by the law enforcement authority.
He indicated that some fishermen have been using dangerous methods on the sea, even though the Minister has banned such activities.
Mr. Michel Takyi said this during an engagement with the fishermen, fish sellers, and Cewefia Ghana to help educate them on the proper way of fishing and preserving fish.
The Fisheries Act (11) (1), which was used to impose the ban, states: ‘A person shall not within the fishery waters of this country (a) use any fishing method that aggravates fish by light attraction, including the use of a portable generator, switchboard, bulbs beyond 500 watts or bulbs whose cumulative light intensity attracts fish, and a long cable to facilitate lightproduction or any other contrivance forthe purpose of aggregating fish bylight.’
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
