- Closed fishing season in Ghana affects Accra fishermen and fishmongers.
- Many struggle to provide for their families, including paying school fees.
- Timing of closure and relief distribution criticized.
- Fishing community severely impacted, with some profiting while others suffer.
The closed fishing season, announced by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, came into effect on July 1, 2024, leaving many fishermen and fishmongers in Accra struggling to make ends meet.
Nii Amu Duodu, a fisherman, expressed his frustration, saying the closure has affected his ability to provide for his family of four. “My children can’t go to school because I can’t afford to pay their fees,” he lamented.
Duodu questioned the timing of the closure, pointing out that July and August are usually their harvest seasons. He also accused the government of playing politics with the relief items promised to fishermen, saying many of them don’t receive the support.
Another fisherman, who preferred to remain anonymous, echoed Duodu’s sentiments, saying the closure has made it difficult for him to cater for his family. “My kids won’t be going to school until the sea is reopened,” he said.
Abigail Nartey, a fishmonger, also shared her struggles, saying the closure has affected her ability to take care of her five children. “Only two of my children are in school, and the other three are at home because I can’t afford to pay their fees,” she said.
Nartey, who relies solely on fish mongering, said she didn’t have enough money to preserve fish for the closed season and is now struggling to make ends meet. “I’m back to zero,” she lamented. However, some fishmongers who preserved their stock before the closure are cashing in on the situation, selling their fish at higher prices.
The closed fishing season has not only affected fishermen and fishmongers but also the entire fishing community, which relies on the industry for their livelihood.
The government’s decision to close the fishing season is aimed at replenishing the country’s fish stock, but the timing and implementation have been criticized by many in the industry. As the fishing community continues to feel the pinch of the closed season, many are calling on the government to reconsider the timing and provide adequate support to those affected.
