National Aquaculture Centre to address fish deficit
In 2016, Ghana started implementing the Closed Season, as part of measures to ensure recovery and rebuilding of the critically low fishery stocks in accordance with Section 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2000 (Act 625).
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So, on Saturday, July 1, 2023, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, symbolically locked the sea at Elmina.
Close season
By that, artisanal canoes were expected to be off the sea for one month, from July 1 to July 31, while industrial trawlers would be off from July 1 to August 31.
It is significant that the close season is not a new thing. Globally, closed seasons are considered one of the key fisheries management procedures to help protect fish stocks and increase their population.
To ensure synergy in the exercise, this year, Ghana was able to get neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire and Togo to jointly lock the seas, while Benin is expected to join the three in 2024.
This is in recognition of the fact that fish remains an important source of protein for most Ghanaians, but there are concerns with a deficit in local production and demand for the commodity.
Particularly, less than 50 per cent of fish needs are produced locally, with imports supplying the remainder and even so, local production has relied heavily (about 80 per cent) on marine fishing, with fears of gradual depletion of stocks.
Aquaculture centre
This is where aquaculture provides the greatest potential of meeting the deficit in fish production in the country.
It is in line with this that the development of the National Aquaculture Centre at Amrahia in the Greater Accra Region by the Israeli company, Agritop Limited, and Ministry of Food and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) which was commissioned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is welcome news.
The centre seeks to introduce modern technologies in the aquaculture sector — Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) production, which serves as a training centre for the youth in efficient fish production and also equip the youth / fish farmers with the skills required to engage in aquaculture.
Definitely, this will lead to increased local fish production.
Facilities
The centre consists of a training centre and a commercial fish production farm, with targeted annual production of 200 tonnes of fresh fish.
It has greenhouse structures of 5,340 metres square (m2) as a commercial fish farm and a nursery structure of 5,340m2, a Nethouse Prawns growing unit of 1,000m2, tilapia and catfish tanks with aerators of 2,111m3 as well as water reservoirs — tanks of 4,000m3 and also a water reservoir — earth of 40,000 m3 among many other facilities and a training centre with all the facilities needed for a modern training centre.
The nethouse, which provides a barrier against pests and also helps to manage climatic conditions, is purposely designed for shrimps and prawns production.
With two pools of 500m2 each to grow the shrimps and prawns in the most efficient way, the centre is set to become not only a place of fish production and training, but a tourist attraction.
Trainees
The first batch of 24 trainees, mostly graduates from the various universities and agriculture colleges in the country, entered the training grounds on May 16, 2023 and on August 15, 2023, they graduated from the centre after going through a three-month training in aquaculture development and management such as Fish Anatomy, Water, Fish Health, Nutrition, Reproduction Marketing Processing and Agribusiness.
The trainees were equipped with comprehensive training in various aspects of aquaculture, from the careful nurturing of diverse aquatic species to understanding the intricacies of farm management and business planning at the centre.
At the graduation ceremony, the trainees received certificates, with Anthea Georgina Ama Ofori, emerging the Overall Best trainee, while Frederick Gaitu and
Theresa Larloku took the second and third places.
For their prizes, they took away certificates and citations eulogising them for their hard work, commitment to duty and time consciousness.
Commendation
Addressing the trainees, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, commended the trainers, Agritop Ltd, Israeli contractors who designed the training centre, the consultants and the centre manager for the efficient coordination at the centre.
Huge potential
Mrs Koomson said aquaculture had emerged as an important area to increase global fish production and meet the growing demand for seafood, while simultaneously addressing the critical issues of sustainability.
She said there was huge potential for aquaculture to thrive in Ghana, “and it is through the dedication, hard work and innovative mindset of our graduates that we can harness this potential to improve job creation and national food security”.
The training
The Executive Director of Agritop Ltd, Yoed Chizik, congratulated the trainees and urged them to channel whatever they had learnt into bettering themselves and mother Ghana.
The Course Manager at the centre, Prince Waame Boakye, reminded the trainees that to be a successful fish farmer, “you need to stay disciplined with your feeding, water analysis, biosecurity, among others”.
“I am glad to announce that all 24 trainees are graduating today.
Discipline remains the hallmark of this training programme and we will not renege on that,” he said.
The Municipal Chief Executive Officer of Adentan, Daniel Alexander Nii-Noi Adumuah, commended the trainees and urged them to share and serve as consultants for others interested in the aquaculture business.
Gratitude
In a valedictory speech, Ms Ofori, on behalf of her colleagues, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the trainers, who tirelessly shared their expertise, guided them through the complexities of aquaculture and inspired them to reach new heights.
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