Fish stock drops by 90% in three decades

Fish stock drops by 90% in three decades

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

The country fish stock has plummeted by over 90 percent in the past 28 years, placing the fishing industry on the brink of collapse and threatening livelihoods across the sector.

In 1996, fishers were able to catch about 274,000 metric tonnes of fish – but today that number is down to only around 20,000 to 22,000 metric tonnes, said Kofi Agbogah, Executive Director-Hεn Mpoano.

He stressed a need for strong and immediate action to redress this situation and prevent the country from running out of fish.

He said data collected by the Fisheries Commission since the 1950s show a drop in the population of small fish species – especially small pelagics like anchovies and sardines, which are key for many coastal families.

“The data clearly show that the country’s fish are not getting a chance to reproduce before they are caught. Fishers often catch pregnant fish during the ‘bumper season’ when the fish are weakest.

“One fish can lay up to 50,000 eggs, so when you catch one pregnant fish you are not just catching one fish – you are killing 50,000 future fish,” Mr. Agbogah explained.

He noted this practice has led to the sharp fall in fish numbers and warned that if it continues, the nation could lose all of its small pelagics within the next five to ten years.

“We are at a dangerous point. If we do not act, we will lose everything – fish, jobs and the lives of our coastal communities,” he warned.

He expressed worry about  recent suggestions that artisanal fishers be exempted from the closed season, stressing that the closed season was carefully designed to ensure there is fish to catch in the future.

“The closed season was carefully designed to support these same artisanal fishers by ensuring there is fish to catch in the future. If we continue to exempt them, then we are heading straight into disaster.

“It is not enough to say poverty is a reason to ignore the closed season. Everyone works and takes a break. The sea also needs a break,” he elaborated.

Ghana introduced a ‘closed fishing season’ policy under the 2002 Fisheries Act (Act 625), which allows the Ministry or Fisheries Commission to stop fishing for a short time and allow fish to breed and recover. During this period, trawlers are expected to stay at shore for two months and artisanal fishers for one month. This short break is supposed to give the sea time to replenish.

He urged government to find better ways to support fishers during the closed season rather than letting them continue fishing.

“If we taught them to save even small amounts, they could survive the one-month break,” he said.

He proposed that instead of giving out bags of rice and oil – which often causes confusion and corruption – government could use mobile money to directly support registered fishers.

“The country spends over US$50million every year on fuel subsidies (pre-mix) and just one month’s share of that money could be given to fishers during the closed season’ he  added.

According to him, the country has the science and laws to fix this problem. What is needed now is political will to make the hard but necessary choices.

Mr. Agbogah was addressing the topic ‘Sustaining Ghana’s close fishing season: Science, policy and the future of fisheries’ on the Eye on Port programme –  powered by Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA).

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