The lack of political will on the part of current and past governments to act against illegal fishing methods has resulted in their widespread adoption by fishermen in Ghana’s seas, Nana Joojo Solomon, a former chief fisherman at Elmina Landing Beach, has observed.
According to him, governments believe that coastal communities have the numbers to determine the winner of an election in the country, hence would not enforce the laws strictly to create disaffection.
His comment follows the arrest of some 17 fishermen by the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on the Ningo-Prampram coast for engaging in illegal fishing activities.
Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Tuesday January 3, Mr Solomon indicated that Ghanaian fishermen had gained notoriety for violating fishing laws in Ghana while adhering strictly to legislation on the seas of other countries.
He said: “Political expediency is the reason why past governments have not been able to enforce the fishing laws. They know that the fishing communities comprise large constituencies and so when they are ‘touched’ they would not vote for them.”
“This is unfortunate because when Ghanaian fishermen go to Ivory Coast and Senegal, they obey their fishing laws because the laws are very strict. There are no excuses over there for not obeying the fishing laws. The laws in Ghana must work, we will not hold brief for anybody who is arrested for violating the laws.”
Touching on pair trawling, he said: “…There is this misconception out there that pair trawling is still in existence. There is no pair trawling on Ghana’s seas. However, the activities of the single trawlers are more dangerous than even the pair trawlers because they have the licence to do bottom trawling and that is killing the fish.”
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
