Fishermen at the Teshie Landing Beach are optimistic of a bumper harvest as the Closed Season of the sea ends on July 31.
Ahead of the reopening on August 01, the fishers have called for strict adherence to proper fishing methods to improve the stock in the sea.
The 2024 Closed Season started on July 01, and is expected to be opened on August 01, 2024, for artisanal fishers.
The one month closed season is to allow more fish in the sea and to sustain the fishing sector.
With barely two days left to the opening of the sea, fishermen at the Teshie Landing Beach have been recounting the impact the closed season has had on their lives.
According to them, it has made them idle to the extent some of their fishing gears have been destroyed.
Armaa Zimbabwe, the public relations officer for the Teshie Fishermen Association tells OnuaOnline “Life has not been easy this closed season. At least government should have supported us financially to take care of our families. The relief items they shared are not sufficient to sustain us for the one month period.”
He suggested that the government reconsiders the period of closing the sea. According to him, the month of July from the past, has been one of the month they record bumper harvests.
“The July closure is not favourable to us because during this period we need fish to celebrate our festival, Homowo. The government must sit down with us to decide on the month that will be favourable to us,” he noted.
Zimbabwe urged his fellow fishermen to desist from using improper ways of fishing as the sea is opened. He says fishing properly will not lead to closing o the sea since the increase in stock will come naturally.
“When they arrest people who use light, carbide, and other bad chemicals for fishing, we will get bumper harvest,” he stated.
Source:onuaonline.com