Fisherfolk to receive support to increase catch
The government will support fishermen to double their annual catch of 50,000 metric tonnes within the next four years, the Minister designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ms Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye, has stated.
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She said the support would be in the form of education on proper methods of fishing, business development, as well as improved distribution of outboard motors and premix fuel to fishermen.
Ms Quaye, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Krowor, was answering questions before the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) in Accra yesterday.
She promised to champion the formation of an inter-ministerial committee to facilitate the implementation of the growth and security programmes for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Youth in fishing
Ms Quaye said her ministry would take steps to encourage the youth who were engaged in fishing to go back to school and acquire some business skills.
She said her ministry would liaise with the Ministry of Education to initiate training programmes for young fishermen.
"A lot of the youth engage in fishing. We will give them enough reasons they should go back to school," she said.
Premix fuel
The nominee said the ministry would also collaborate with National Security to stop the diversion of premix fuel.
She said all fuel tankers would be fitted with tracking devices to track their movement to avoid diversion and cautioned oil marketing companies (OMCs) against diverting premix fuel meant for fisherfolk.
"If any OMC is found culpable, the laws will catch up with it," she warned.
Ms Quaye said coordinators would be stationed at landing beaches to coordinate the distribution of premix fuel.
Tidal waves
On the issue of tidal waves, the minister designate indicated that tidal wave calendars had been developed to ameliorate the effect.
She said the calendars would aid fisherfolk to know the timing of tidal waves, so that they would know where to position their canoes at particular moments.
She further cautioned that the laws would catch up with trawlers fishing beyond the 70 metres depth.
She said her ministry would liaise with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and the Ghana Revenue Authority to guarantee the sea worthiness of imported boats.
Touching on the practice of Ghanaians fronting for owners of foreign boats, Ms Quaye indicated that steps would be taken to streamline those agreements.
Other support
The nominee pledged to improve upon the insurance policy for fishers initiated by the previous government.
She also gave an assurance that the government would remove duty on imported fishing equipment by 2018.
