Deputy fisheries and aquaculture development minister, Moses Anim, has expressed excitement over the increment of fish stock in the country following the closed season.
According to him, the report on success of closed season which is aimed at replenishing depleting fish stock has been impactful. He revealed that the “trick has been integrating the science with practical experience”. To this, he noted that the move has made compliance very successful.
“… The gradual increment that we’re getting, is an improvement and looking at the depletion level, it will not take a short term or medium term to be able to get to the satisfactory level that we want. We also have on record that there are species that have gone into oblivion for decades which are now showing up…”
Moses Anim
Mr Anim stated that when the report was being worked on, indications were that, most fish species are being caught after spawning at least once. He noted that due to the fact that majority of stakeholders engaged who were fishermen, brought in their practical experience, of which the fisheries ministry interpreted it along a more scientific line.
“Therefore, we’re really enjoying patronage, not 100% but majorly, there’s a huge patronage by the observers of the closed season. The numbers are showing improvement.”
Moses Anim
Furthermore, Mr Anim explained that the fisheries ministry among other things, determined, in terms of quantity, the catch per unit effort which showed an increment in that direction. With this, he elaborated that gradually, it is not just the closed season alone which has been a management measure in ensuring a rising fish stock
“… It is an integration or current implementation of management measures which includes strict adherence to the rules, regulations and law. The deterrent that we’ve put in place and also the enforcement of the laws in terms of punitive decisions against whoever causes infraction of the law, also increasing the budget of the fisheries enforcement unit so that they can go to the landing beaches and ensure that the right things are done…”
Moses Anim
Compliance to directives on fishing
Emphasizing on what the ministry has done to ensure there’s enough fishes in the sea, the deputy fisheries minister stated that in conjunction with other measures, his outfit has outlined some guidelines to fishing for “traw vessels”. He indicated that the sort of regime that the ministry is giving to them will ensure compliance and renewal of licenses.
“If you don’t oblige to the gear regime that we’ve given you in terms of the specifications and approved sizes that we’ve given you, the selectivity of it, definitely we will not allow a license to be given to you.”
Moses Anim
Moreover, Mr Anim revealed that the ministry also makes sure that there are serious port inspections before fishermen go to sea and on arrival as well. This, he reckoned, is a cumulative outcome of the concurrent implementation of management measures that has resulted in the success being chalked by the ministry.
“Now, we also churn out report before, during and after that is presented and validated with all the stakeholders. I’m talking about the major stakeholders who are the fisher folks themselves along all the value chain, academia and CSOs. As I speak, we are implementing the policy very well because we have the science and technical committee. So, the data is really showing an increase in the stock level gradually…”
Moses Anim
Commenting on how the ministry ensures compliance, Mr Anim stated that the budget for the fisheries enforcement unit has been increased and it serves as one of the measures that is helping in compliance. Nonetheless, he emphasized that it’s not only intended for the closed season.
“When it comes to fishing responsibly, therefore, we’re fighting the illegal related and unreported fishing… For the canoes, no one is supposed to go fishing, the traw, no one is to go fishing. In fact, the tuna fleet did theirs from January to March and because the tuna fleet fish for tuna and tuna spawns during January to March, if you really want to have an effect of a closed season, it is all to allow a fish spawn once before it is caught. So, a tuna has a different season…”
Moses Anim
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