Marine fishing: Closed season will worsen our plight – Fisherfolk lament

Fisherfolks in fishing communities along Ghana’s coast are kicking against this year’s closed season.

According to them, the policy will worsen their economic plight and bring untold hardship to them and their dependents.

The term “closed season” also known as “biological rest period”, refers to the halting of fishing activities during the spawning period of the stocks.

Closed seasons are observed as a way of reducing fishing pressure on stocks when they are most productive, in terms of allowing the fish a chance to lay their eggs to replace the lost population due to fishing and other natural causes.

Globally, they are considered one of the key fisheries management procedures to help protect fish stocks and also increase their population.

Ahead of this year’s season to be observed from July to August this year, the President of the Canoe Owners Association, Nana Kweigyah wants the government to turn a listening ear to the fishing communities.

“If you listen to the issues the fishers made it bothers on one such that the period for the close season coincides with the economic season for the artisan fishers. For us, we are in a bumper season from July to September. It is within this same period that the scientists say is the biological season and the close season should be observed,” he told Accra-based Starr FM.

“Again, the economic situation in the country and the fact that fishing is the sole life of the community. So all these bother on the socio-economic issues associated with the close season. It is one of the issues that over the years we have spoken about that it is important for us to relook at the implementation process,” he added.

“We admit that our fishing is in a state for which some drastic measures have to be taken. If the close season has one of the measures to help build the fishes we are all for it.”