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AGRICULTURE

Oyster harvesting season opened in Densu Estuary

Motivated by the positive outcomes of the first closed season last year, oyster pickers at the Densu Estuary have demonstrated their commitment to ensure their almost lost livelihood is completely restored.

Date Created : 4/16/2019 9:27:37 AM : Story Author : Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

The people have yet again successfully completed another five months closed season which was observed from November last year to April 2019.

At a durbar at Tsokomey Landing Beach to officially open the oyster harvesting season on the theme: “Co-Management – Paving the way for Effective Natural Resource Sustainability”, members of the Densu Oyster Harvesting Community in the Ga South Municipality of the greater Accra Region were full of praise for the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) for introducing them to best practices that has harnessed their livelihoods.

The Densu Oyster Pickers Association group has thus sent a strong signal of their resolve to annually observe the closed season period not to only ensure good harvest but also sustain their business for the future generation.

According to them, ever since SFMP with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) introduced them to co-management practices which afford them the opportunity to receive training in the basic science of oyster habitats and production, as well as the observation of the closed season, the dwindling stocks of the oyster in the Densu have witnessed a major turn-around with more to harvest, which also come in bigger sizes.

One of the beneficiaries observed that “but for the timely intervention of USAID/SFMP in the past few years, the oyster business would have collapsed by now. We realized the oysters spawn and grow bigger during the closed season – this helps us get better returns when we harvest and sell”.

Meanwhile, the people looked forward to planting more mangroves as part of the management practices, having already planted 10,000 seedlings. The mangroves serve as suitable environment for the oysters and other fishes to spawn, and it is their hope that in few years they would have abundance of oyster all around the Densu Estuary to boost their economic life.

Noted that USAID/SFMP's partnership to rebuild Ghana's fisheries resources which plays a critical role in advancing Ghana's Development, adding, "Fisheries management is not only for Ghana, but for the entire world

He said though the fishing sector in Ghana is faced with many challenges, the threat posed by the dwindling stocks of the small pelagic fish stock pushes the sector to a near collapse. It is to avert this that USAID/SFMP has partnered the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to develop the National Co-Management Policy, example of which the people of Tsokomey and surrounding communities have adopted in the management of the oyster resource.

He was of the conviction that the passage and adoption of the co-management policy would significantly help fisheries communities to sustainably manage their fragile resources.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye was impressed with the women for showing fortitude to support the effective and sustainable management of the oyster resource in the Densu Delta. She was particularly delighted that the women decided to take action realizing the declining oyster stock which threatened their livelihoods. “You aligned your actions with the intentions of the government by aligning your programme with our draft co-management policy”.

According to her, the actions of the Oyster Pickers is worth emulating to deal with “something that currently threatens the fish stocks on which Ghanaians most depend”, adding, a draft co-management national policy has been developed and would be presented to Cabinet by the end of April 2019 for consideration. “Once endorsed by Cabinet, I will immediately move forward to adopt it as a national policy for the Ministry”.