European Union in 2013 issued a first yellow card to Ghana, flagging its fishing sector for Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) activities. Despite lifting it in 2015, Ghana received its second-yellow card warning in June 2021.
The Environmental Justice Foundation reports that “Ghana is missing out on between 14.4 -23.7 million US dollars every year in fishing license fees and fines from trawlers.”
iWatch Africa’s investigation revealed that “this lack of transparency allows these companies to set up opaque corporate structures and work through Ghanaian ‘front’ companies to obtain licenses to fish.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/xK-6u2BUG-8
With these recurring issues, the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) says it is high time the “government holds the bull by the horn and get these Chinese vessels on hold” as this poses risks to artisanal fishing in the country.
The President of CaFGOAG, Nana Kweigyah in an interview with Citi News advised the government to use a “bottom-up approach” where a platform is created for “artisanal fishermen to put forward proposals to what can be done to address the widespread illegalities.”
“Artisanal fisheries in Ghana are in a dire situation. Climate change, marine pollution, and IUU contribute to decline in fish production and fish catch. The EU issued a yellow card to Ghana. It is important for the regulator and policymakers to have a comprehensive plan that identifies key strategies that can be taken to address the widespread illegalities,” he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/-L7eBagAoYA
Mr Kweigyah proposed “quarterly meetings with representatives of artisanal fisheries” just like it is being done with “tuna and trawl operators so that the fishers can be part of the decision as to what should be done to address the illegalities.”
The National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG) in an interview with Daily Graphic called for a national policy to address foreign dominance of the foreign sector.
The Secretary of NAFAG, Richster Amarfio said: “the hire-purchase agreements thus allow for the foreigners to serve as high-ranking officials on these vessels, in line with the conditionality associated with the funding arrangements, making the foreigners the beneficial owners.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/TplyPzUQRdQ
Commemorating the International Day of Awareness of Food and Waste 2022 on theme ‘Stop food waste for the people and the planet’, Mr Kweigyah bemoaned the fish processing approach as “the handling of fish has not been the best” as this “contributes to loss and wastage.”
He called for “an increase of investment in [fish] processing facilities …. so that nothing will be wasted to promote good health, and food sustainability.”
