Fishing communities nationwide have commenced a one-month closed season for fishing, aimed at enabling fish stocks to replenish during the spawning period.

The closure will be observed by canoe and inshore fishers, as well as industrial trawlers, with specific dates assigned to each group.

Canoe and inshore fishers will observe the closed season from July 1st to July 31st, 2023, while industrial trawlers will adhere to the closure from July 1st to August 31st, 2023.

To foster stakeholder engagement regarding the closed fishing season, the Minister of Fisheries, Mavis Hawa Koomson, held a meeting with fisheries associations, Municipal and District Chief Executives, and representatives from the Ministry, Fisheries Commission, and the National Premix Fuel Secretariat. The purpose was to discuss the way forward for the commencement of the closed season and the distribution of relief items.

Minister Koomson revealed that the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU), the Marine Police, and security officers from the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea would jointly patrol the seas to ensure full compliance with the closed season. Special attention would be given to hotspot areas notorious for illegal fishing activities, such as Elmina, Apam, Takoradi, Aplamanya, and Denu, with increased patrols by security agencies.

The Minister called for trawl vessels at sea to return to anchorage by June 30th. In addition, Deputy Minister Moses Anim proposed that the mandatory anchoring of trawl vessels before the sea closure be incorporated as part of the administrative measures for vessel licensing.

Leaders of the fisheries associations pledged full compliance with the closed season regulations, demonstrating their commitment to preserving fish stocks and ensuring sustainability in the fishing industry.