Fisheries ministry takes measures to improve industry

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture is to roll out a series of interventions and packages aimed at scaling up the contribution of the fishing industry to the economy.

The interventions include the promulgation of a legislation for the operations of landing beach committees (LBCs) and the construction of premix filling stations for boat owners.

The sector minister, Ms Sherry Ayittey, made this known when she addressed representatives of fishing communities from 32 districts along the Volta Lake at Kpando-Torkor in the Kpando municipality last Thursday.

She said the legislation would effectively check smuggling, diversion and adulteration of premix fuel.

She asked the fishermen to be alert in order to apprehend any person who would betray efforts at making the fishing industry central to job and wealth creation, as well as national food security.

Outboard motors

Ms Ayittey said 528 outboard motors had been ordered and would soon be delivered and distributed to fishermen.

She advised the fishermen to register their boats because allocations would be made based on registration so as to avoid diversion after supply.

She further announced that a consultant had been engaged to work out modalities for an insurance and pension scheme for fishermen.

Consumption

Ms Ayittey said the fishing industry produced only 400 metric tonnes as against the national consumption of 950 metric tonnes per year, adding that the government was determined to resource the fishing sector to enable it to produce more fish to make up for the deficit of 450 metric tonnes.

She said there was a proposal to construct landing beaches and fishing harbours at vantage points in parts of the country, and that each of them would be easily accessed by canoes and would be equipped with cold storage facilities, ice making machines, a fish market and a day care centre.

In addition, she said, water buses would be procured to enhance transportation along the Volta Lake.

Ms Ayittey explained that the operations of companies mandated to harvest tree stumps from the lake executed their task according to laid- down rules of the land to ensure that there was the practice of sustainable environmental management procedures to ensure that the water was not polluted.  

Subsidy for premix fuel and diversion

The National Chairman of the National Inland Canoe Fishermen Council (NICFC), Mr Vincent Kaledzi, noted that although the government subsidised premix fuel to the tune of  GH¢150 million a year, there was little impact on the fishing industry because of diversion of the product.

He alleged that some premix fuel was diverted to Ashaiman and mixed with diesel and sold to car owners.

Mr Kaledzi pointed out that the engagement of a Canadian company to harvest tree stumps from the Volta Lake without consulting the  fishermen was a great omission because the operations of the firm polluted the lake,which was detrimental to the survival of fishes and human beings.   

In an address, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Francis Ganyaglo, commended the Kpando Torkor Landing Beach Committee for the collective decision to use savings from premix dealings for community development.