The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) will, in August, close the sea to all forms of fishing activities.

The 'Closed Season' is an intervention to addressing the depleting fish stocks in Ghanaian marine waters.

The decision to close the season in August is based on a scientific research which indicates that major spawning takes place around this time and, therefore, if the fishes are left for that period, stocks will increase considerably, with one fish spawning up to 10 million fingerlings at a time.

Addressing participants at a media training workshop in Accra, last Monday, Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mr Francis Ato Cudjoe, explained that the moon would be up for 20 days in August and that since fishermen did not go fishing when the moon was up, it was imperative to institute the 'Close Season' so that fishing activities were not unnecessarily interrupted.

"The sector is facing serious challenges and the biggest challenge is the depleting fish stock as a result of illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing activities," he said.

Mr Cudjoe warned that Ghana would become an importer of fish in 10 years if it failed to make any effort to restock Ghanaian waters.

The Deputy Minister disclosed that the Ministry would review the Fisheries Act to make it compulsory for the implementation of the 'Closed Season'.

For his part, Mr Michael Arthur-Dadzie, Director, Fisheries Commission, urged the media to set the parameters for the uplift of the profession and not capitalise on the repeal of the criminal libel law to malign persons in the society.

Mr Arthur-Dadzie called for a collaborative effort to overcome the challenges bedevilling the fisheries sector.

Source: ISD (Eva Frempon-Ntiamoah)