Fishers to Be Empowered to Enforce Laws

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission intends to empower fishers to enforce aspects of the Fisheries Act relating to illegal fishing practices at landing sites.

According to a news release signed by the sector Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, the fishers will be empowered to enforce the Fisheries Act (Act 625) and Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (LI 1968) as a means of checking illegal fishing practices especially at the marine coastal fishing landing sites where the practice prevalent.

This initiative, according to the Release, is necessitated by the fact that the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU) is constrained in its operations nationwide, considering that there are over 300 and 2000 landing sites, respectively along the marine coast and the Volta Lake where these laws must be enforced.

The Ministry, the Release says, has, therefore, requested that when fishers make an arrest for the infraction of the fisheries law and regulations, the relevant institutions should play their roles as mandated by law to ensure that the fishermen that would be arrested are prosecuted in court.

Source: ISD

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