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The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Madam Elizabeth Afoley-Quaye, says her outfit has rolled out a comprehensive road-map under its co-management policy to restore sanity in the fishing industry.

This she added would increase the fish stock in the sea to ensure a bumper harvest.
Under the policy, she said local fishermen, traditional rulers, fishing communities, enforcement units and the mass media would collaborate with the government to stem unwarranted fishing activities in the sea.

To this end, the government has instituted an award system under the West Africa Fisheries Project for fishermen, community members, traditional rulers, media houses, District Assemblies who are most responsible to stem the tide and restore sanity in the fishing industry.

Madam Afoley-Quaye was addressing a forum for fishermen at a visibility durbar to mark the launch of the annual Kuntum festival of the Chiefs and people of Ahanta West Municipality at Dixcove in the Western Region.

The theme for this year's Kuntum festival is: 'Empowering Communities for Effective Fisheries Co-Management: The Role of Traditional Leaders'.

"Far Ban Bo" meaning, Protecting Fisheries Livelihoods, is a -four-year European Union funded fisheries governance project, which is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs: Care International Ghana, the lead, Friends of the Nation(FoN) and Oxfam.

Madam Afoley-Quaye tasked Chief fishermen to be pro-active to ensure that fishermen respected the marine laws and made illegal fishing unattractive.

She said President Nana Akufo Addo would continue to wage the war on illegal fishing just like the galamsey menace which were yielding dividends.

The Minister declared government's readiness to give the fishing industry a boost and would ensure that the supply of pre-mix fuel production which has dwindled from 38 tanks to 17 tanks a day due to operational mishaps at the Tema Oil Refinery(TOR),would be addressed and make fuel available to fishermen.

She reminded the fishing communities that the closed season would strictly be in force next year as part of efforts to increase the fish stock in the sea.