The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) has reopened the sea to artisanal fishers as of Thursday, August 1.
This decision follows a month-long closure of the fishing season as a government measure aimed at restoring depleting fish stocks.
A ceremony at the Akplabanya Beach Site in the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region symbolically marked the reopening of the sea for artisanal and inshore fleets.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, officially declared the sea open and called on all stakeholders to engage in the conservation of Ghana’s marine resources.
“The closed fishing season is a strategy adopted by the ministry and the fisheries commission to aid in the recovery of over-exploited fisheries resources, rebuild depleted fish species, and reduce fishing pressure on these resources,” she said.
“I urge the people of Upper Manya in the Ada West to move forward with a renewed dedication to conserving our precious marine resources. May this season bring abundant catches and prosperity to the fisheries and aquaculture sector,” she added.