The Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) has raised concerns about the sustainability of Ghana’s current mode of implementing the closed fishing season.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture declared a closed season for artisanal and inshore fleets from July 1 to July 31, and for industrial trawlers from August 1 to August 31, 2023, in accordance with Section 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625).
Nana Kweigyah, president of CaFGOAG, assessed the impact of the closed season and expressed worry that the implementation in July for the artisanal sector was unsustainable. Many fishers and fishing communities have voiced genuine concerns about how the closed season in July restricted and undermined artisanal fisheries in Ghana.
Kweigyah emphasized the need for open discussions that prioritize effective representation and participation of artisanal fishers to address their concerns. He suggested that fisheries managers should engage in discussions to improve implementation, considering scientific and local ecological knowledge.
While the closed season falls within the biological period of the fishery, it also coincides with the economic period of artisanal fishers and the month of bumper fishing season.
Kweigyah highlighted the necessity for a trade-off and thoughtful consideration of the static nature of space and time, and the communities’ level of dependence on fishing.
“There has to be a trade-off in this situation, and this goes into the heart of the implementation of the closed season in the artisanal sector, taking into consideration the static nature of space and time and the level of dependence on fishing by the communities,” he said.