Search Canoes Before They Leave Shore - Kofi Adams

Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams, has called on the Ministry of Agriculture together with stake holders in the fishing industry to institute mechanisms to halt fishermen from using harmful chemicals in their operations. According to him, there should be a way to prevent harmful chemicals from being carried on board canoes just as checks are done before one board an airplane. ��I think we can put system in place to check the canoes before they leave the shore lines for their expedition; to find out what they are carrying onboard. So that, no canoe is allowed to leave the shore with chemicals that is not allowed to be used in their fishing activities�. �For example, if you are flying, there are some materials that are banned from your carry-on luggage. Some are even banned from the check-in luggage so, you go through a process for them to make sure that you are not carrying (anything harmful),� he explained. Kofi Adams made this call on the back of a warning by the Ministry of Agriculture for the general public to beware of fish they consume and fishermen against the use of chemicals such as DDT, dynamite and other illegal methods for fishing since they have adverse effects on health, depletion of fish stock. According to the Ministry, except of fishes from James Town, all others are contaminated with harmful chemicals and as such, not good for consumption. It is for this reason Kofi Adams believes that one of the sure ways of checking this development, is the introduction and application of stringent measures must be put in place to search canoes before they leave the shores for fishing.