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Number plates
for canoes, other fishing vessels
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
From now ontowards all canoes and other fishing vessels
plying on water bodies in Ghana will have number plates or
identification numbers embossed on them, A Deputy Minister
of Food and Agriculture In-charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasa
Naamoale has announced in Accra.
He emphasised that the Fisheries Act 625 of 2002 requires
all fishing vessels including artisanal canoes, to be
registered and to bear the markings of identity, Nii Amasa
Naamoale, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of
Fisheries.
He said a Fishing Vessel Register and the marking of the
Identification Number would become useful instruments to
assist the Fisheries Commission in compiling the Fisheries
data and information on canoes, fish landings amongst
others.
Nii Amasa Naamoale, who was launching a pilot programme for
the embossment of Canoe Registration Numbers in the
Greater-Accra Region at the Canoe Beach at Tema New Town,
noted that currently, identity markings for canoes in the
form of symbols and names did not make canoe identification
quick and accurate.
He said even though this requirement had been well complied
with in respect of the industrial and semi-industrial fleets
to a lesser extent, it had not been so with the artisanal
fleet.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that the pilot programme would
enable the Ministry to fix number plates on a total of one
thousand out of 12,000 canoes currently operating in 10
districts along the marine coast.
Nii Naamoale explained that the canoe fishery was based on
open access, thus making control of new entrants almost
impossible.
He pointed out that data collection from canoes and fishers
was not very effective, adding that regular frame surveys to
update information on canoes and gear, were expensive in
terms of logistics and manpower, time consuming, unreliable
and inefficient.
The Deputy Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for
La-Dadekotopon, said a proper registration and identity of
artisanal canoes was expected to yield enormous benefits,
which include the quick and accurate identification of
canoes.
"The availability of a complete canoe register to eventually
eliminate the need for future frame surveys, improved
fisheries monitoring system and a better control of new
entrants to the artisanal fisheries sub-sector in order to
avoid the open access.
In an address read for him, Mr. Musa Saihou Mbenga, Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in Ghana, said
the World body viewed the need to put in place management
measures in the artisanal fishery as a crucial for food
security in Ghana.
Mr. Mbenga pledged FAO's continued support for the fisheries
sub-sector in the country, through the provision of
technical assistance and guidance, especially in the
elaboration of plans for the implementation of the draft
Ghana Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy.
Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater Accra Regional Minister,
commended FAO for its financial support for the pilot
project.
He said in order to support and sustain the fishing
industry, government through an enhanced co-ordination of
marine activities, would continue to engage the fisher folks
to find a lasting solution to sustaining the pre-mix fuel
system.
"Government would equip the Navy and the allied security
agencies to be well placed in order to enforce the
prohibition of the use of unorthodox fishing methods
currently being used by some foreign fishing trawlers which
continued to deplete our marine fish resources."
The Regional Minister asked the fisher folks to desist from
using forbidden practices such as the use of chemicals to
trap fish; pair trawling; and prohibited lights, in their
operations, since they contributed immensely to the
depletion of fish stocks "in our waters".
Nii Adjei Kraku, Tema Mantse, who chaired the function,
called for the dredging of landing sites which in his view,
were at the moment heavily silted and choked.
Nii Naamoale and Nii Ashitey, assisted by the Tema Mantse,
in a demonstration embossed registration numbers on some of
the canoes at the beach.
Among dignitaries present at the launch were Mr. Mike
Akyeampong, Chairman of the Fisheries Commission, and Nii
Abeo Kyerekuandah, Executive Secretary of the Ghana National
Canoe Fishermen Council.
Ghanadot
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