Public Agenda (Accra)
Ama Achiaa Amankwah & Leticia Annan
16 May 2008
The Ministry of Fisheries has denied allegations by a group, called the Joint Action Against Pair Trawling (JAAPT) that foreign vessels have invaded Ghana's fishing industry and all vessels plying the coastal areas of the country are engaged in pair trawling activities. It says the allegations are simply untrue.
The JAAPT is reported to have issued threats to go on a protest march in relation to the above.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, sector minister Mrs. Gladys Asmah stated, "It must be made clear that the ministry has never and indeed will never register a Chinese, Korean or Japanese vessel because this is inimical to the interest of the nation and also it is against the Fisheries Act."
Rather, she said the ministry has been gradually building the capacity of indigenous fishermen and companies in the industry to enable them operate independently and eventually take complete control of the fishing industry in the country.
She said this is a policy response to the problem of lack of high indigenous skills which is holding back the modernization drive.
"A little seriousness and diligence would have changed the views of the organizers about the issues they are complaining about. They could have come to the ministry to discuss their concerns."
She stressed that all expatriate fishermen are employees of Ghanaian vessel owners and companies and that steps are being taken to reverse their continued engagement.
"The answer is to create our own body of specialized fishermen equipped with the rare skills modern fishing requires."
Mrs. Asmah said that mass demonstration is not the solution to the issues but dialogue and understanding which will bring about an amicable settlement.
She said the ministry has since its establishment in 2005 done everything possible to provide satisfactory answers to such concerns.
According to her, the ministry after a series of meetings with the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and the executive members of the various associations expects the associations to report back to the rank and file of the associations, saying that if they are following the JAAPT in a protest march for lack of knowledge then their leaders must be held responsible.
She said pair trawling (a fishing activity carried out by two boats, with one towing each warp (the towing cables) in particular has been of great concern to the ministry since its establishment.
She reiterated that the ministry's doors are always open and ready to engage the leadership of the JAAPT in a constructive dialogue to find lasting solution to the issues they have been complaining about on behalf of the fisherman.
She announced that construction of two fishing harbours and fourteen landing sites, provision of cold stores and refrigeration facilities etc are some of the programmes being executed by the ministry to boost fishing.
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