Resident of the various fishing communities are crying over the economic hardship visited them due to the closed season initiative by the government.
According to some residents thievery is on the high due to the joblessness rendered the youth by the Exercise.
Speaking to Gossips24.com, ” Last Friday they broke my sister’s door and took away a big pot of soup meant to sell banku. The boys are hungry there is no work to do. Things are very hard for us. Fisherman resident of Half Assini said.
” Just yesterday, the man next to my house, he went to mend his net at the beach when he returned thieves had taken his Ghs 1,400 away” he added.
The government of Ghana through the ministry of fisheries and Aquaculture is implementing the closed season policy; to ensure restoration of depleted fish stocks and further build sustainable fishing industry in the country. The policy in accordance with section 84 of the fisheries act, 2002.(act 625)
The season started from July 1st to 31st for artisanal and semi-industrial fishers and July 31st to August 31 this year for industrial fisher according to the sector Ministry .
However fishermen are of the view, that the exercise has not yielded the intended results but has inflicted on them a dire economy situation. According to them despite two years into the Closure the state of the industry remained unimproved.
“They started 2years ago, when they opened we didn’t see anything. Last year too was the same. And this year year too we are in closed season, nothing will change when they open. Government must stop it because we are only dying of hunger for nothing.” Mr. Aborah Robert, a canoe owner remarked.
A visit to Half Assini, the capital of Jomoro Constituency in the Western region, among others, saw fishermen mending nets, playing draft while others sleep.
The busy landing beach looks almost deserted with little activities.
Meanwhile the residents call on government interventions to relieve them from the hardship until the scheduled time for the reopening of the sea.
