The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) is considering an additional one-month closed fishing season for all fishing fleets to help replenish the country’s over-exploited fish stock.
The final decision, to be made in consultation with fisheries stakeholders, is expected to be implemented between December and February of the yet-to-be-determined years.
The Sector Minister, Mavis HawaKoomson, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Accra yesterday, said the idea was based on scientific evidence and recommendation from an assessment of the 2021 closed fishing season.
The same assessment, she said, recommended that the annual one-month season for artisanal and semi-industrial vessels and the two months for industrial trawlers should all be observed between July and September instead of the varying times observed over the past few years.
“The biological studies revealed that the major upwelling season (July to September) and minor upwelling season (December to February) represented the period with greater spawning activity for both small pelagic and demersal species.
“The 2021 closed season observed during the major upwelling thus allowed both the small pelagic and demersal species to spawn and grow much bigger for recruitment into fisheries,” Mrs Koomson said.
The media briefing was to highlight the outcome of the 2021 closed fishing season which was implemented from July 1 to July 31, 2021, for artisanal and semi-industrial fleets and July 1 to August 31, 2021, for the industrial trawl fleet while the tuna fleet took its turn from January 1 to March 31, 2021.
According to the Ministry, July and August were chosen because they fell within the peak spawning period in Ghana’s waters.
In 2019, the season was observed in May/June for the artisanal and semi-industrial sector instead of the major upwelling season due to opposition from fishers; the industrial trawl sector observed the season in August/ September while the tuna sector took its turn in January/February.
Mrs Koomsonsaid the assessment showed that the season yielded more fish catch for both artisanal and semi-industrial fleet than catches in the same period (August) in 2020, where there was no closed season.
She said most fishers indicated that they landed varying quantities of different types of fishes while their catch increased immediately after the moratorium was lifted.
She said compliance amongst industrial trawlers and inshore fleet was about 100 per cent and that of artisanal was 90 per cent while the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU)seized some generators and light fishing equipment being used during the period.
According to Mrs Koomson, five fishermen arrested for flouting the moratorium on fishing in the Central Region, had been arraigned and fined a total of GH¢6, 000 while nine others in the Western Region who attacked some FEU personnel were being prosecuted at the Sekondi Circuit Court.
To cushion the fishers and processors during the period, she said food items, approved fishing nets and outboard motors were distributed in some fishing communities.
She thanked all stakeholders for their support and called for stronger collaboration to implement the recommendation and other reforms in the sector.