Some Fishermen in Accra are blaming incessant illegal fishing on dishonest practices by some personnel of the Navy whose duty it is to ensure that illegal fishing is stopped.
According to them, the security officials, instead of effecting the arrest of those engaged in illegal fishing, that has become a bane in the fishing industry, rather allegedly collect bribe from the illegal fishermen.
Mr Ayitey Bernard, a leader at the Prampram Landing Beach and a fisherman himself, made this known to the DAILY HERITAGE after spearheading the arrest of some illegal fishermen at sea.
“ I am saying this in plain language that the Navy Police are not helping us, they go and take money from those engaging in illegal fishing and return home without effecting any arrest.
“These fishermen who are into illegal fishing have money, so when you go, they bribe you and so if the mandate is given to the educated elite, they will continue to destroy our job unless it is given to us the fishermen, because we understand our job.
“Let me tell you something. Some of our colleague fishermen give tip-offs to those at sea who engage in light fishing, so any time we set sail to go and arrest them, they hear it and run away. So our task is becoming more and more difficult,” he said.
According to him, “because of the tip-offs these illegal fishermen get, it makes our work difficult because they prepare to fight us, and if we are not many, it becomes risky, but the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, has been instrumental in this fight.”
Flying boats
While acknowledging the government’s support, he said “we need help. Now if we want the best, unless we get a flying boat that will tour the waters every day.”
More arrested
Six more fishermen were on Saturday arrested for engaging in illegal fishing by the fishermen who have been empowered by government through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, led by Mrs Quaye. The suspects have been detained at the Prampram Police Station, pending further investigations.
Over 200 illegal fishermen who engaged in light fishing and also used carbide and monofilament to harvest fish were recently arrested along some of the landing beaches, notable among them being the Prampram and Nyanyano beaches.
Watchdog Committee
The sector minister had earlier given the assurance that her ministry would do everything possible to stop the practice and her effort resulted in the inauguration of a Watchdog Committee meant to combat illegal fishing by both local and foreign fishermen.
The Fisheries Watchdog Committees, according to the Minister, will be working directly with the Fisheries Enforcement Unit under the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, as well as the Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Unit of the Ghana Navy and the Marine Police to ensure that the activities of illegal fishers were brought to a halt.
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