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Fisheries Commission calls for collaboration for marine conservation?

The Fisheries Commission has called on Ghanaians to partner it to conserve and preserve marine species.

Date Created : 3/21/2024 : Story Author : Elizabeth Larkwor Baah/Ghanadistricts.com

Mr. Prince Dankwa, the Assistant Manager of the Fisheries Commission at Dangme East, who made the call, said the partnership would help to conserve the biodiversity of the country’s marine ecosystems.

Mr. Dankwa was speaking at a sensitisation programme for fishermen at Ada, organised by the Sharks and Rays Conservation Group, an advocacy organisation.

He said there had been several calls from the government, various institutions and organisations to halt activities that were causing danger to marine space, but such efforts continued to fall on deaf ears.

Activities such as light fishing, casting of used nets back into the sea, and dumping of plastics into water bodies among others, had over the years caused havoc to water bodies, and it was about time Ghanaians became intentional about conserving the sea, he said.

Mr. Dankwa said it was important for fisher folks to adopt sustainable fishing methods to maintain stock for generations ahead, advising consumers to be very selective in purchasing fishes caught through Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) methods.

He said the government had over the years put in more effort to make sure that fishermen adopted best practices in preserving and sustaining marine space; however, attitudinal challenges have been the major cause of most interventions failing to achieve that goal.

He said the Commission had formed a committee to ensure that persons engaging in illegalities would be brought to book and urged the fishermen to maintain self-discipline and desist from activities that posed threats to the sea and its ecosystem.