The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) has officially reopened the sea to artisanal fishers, effective Thursday, August 1. This move comes after a month-long closure of the fishing season, aimed at restoring depleting fish stocks.
A ceremony was held at the Akplabanya Beach Site in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region to mark the reopening of the sea. The event was symbolic, representing the official declaration of the sea’s reopening for artisanal and inshore fleets.
Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, led the ceremony and called upon all stakeholders to participate in the conservation of Ghana’s marine resources. The minister emphasized the importance of the close fishing season, explaining that it is a strategy to recover over-exploited fisheries resources.
She highlighted the need to rebuild depleted fish species and reduce fishing pressure on the fisheries resources. Koomson urged the people of Upper Manya in the Ada West to work together to conserve the precious marine resources.
She expressed hope that the new fishing season would bring abundant catches and prosperity to the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The reopening of the sea marks a new beginning for artisanal fishers, who are expected to adhere to sustainable fishing practices to ensure the long-term health of Ghana’s marine resources.
