The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFaD) has announced a three-year moratorium on new artisanal canoe entrants with effect from 1st October 2023.
The moratorium is the second major intervention by the government for the recovery of depleting marine fisheries stock.
Announcing the moratorium in Accra on Thursday, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, noted that with the current open access regime, the canoe fleet has increased from 8,000 in 1990 to over 12,000 in 2023.
She stated the small pelagic fish landings, which is the backbone of the artisanal subsector, has decreased from 119,000 metric tons in 1990 to 20,000 metric tons in 2022, adding that the annual landings of the Sardinella Aurita declined from 119,515 tonnes in 1992 to 11,834 tonnes in 2019 representing 9.9% of its largest recorded landings.
“Indeed, our scientists have informed us that a stock is considered collapsed when it reaches 10% of its highest yields and have therefore concluded that the Sardinella Aurita has collapsed,” she bemoaned.
Madam Koomson said that the moratorium is one of the key measures to control fleet capacity and fishing efforts to sustainable levels and prevent the collapse of marine fishery stocks.
“The Moratorium is for three years and its implementation would be reviewed annually. This means that no canoes will be constructed and brought into the system for the next three years. With this measure, it is expected that the pressure on our fisheries resources, in addition to the other measures the government is implementing will all contribute to a reduction of the pressure on our fisheries resource, to recover the over-exploited small pelagic stock,” she disclosed.
She urged fishers and stakeholders of the sector to commit to intensifying engagements on addressing issues of overcapacity and degradation of the environment in the artisanal sector.
“I would like to implore all fishers and our stakeholders to commit to intensify engagements on how best to address issues of overcapacity and degradation of the environment in the artisanal sector. This must be discussed dispassionately taking into consideration the fact that we must sacrifice today to feed the future. Together we must do all it takes to ensure profitable and sustainable management of Ghana’s Fisheries Resources,” she stressed.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD