Include artisanal fishers in closed season policy – Prof Aggrey-Fynn

Cape Coast, March 27, – Professor Joseph Aggrey-Fynn, a fisheries expert at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has called on government to reconsider its decision to exempt artisanal fishermen from the annual fishing closed season.

He explained that the exemption lacked scientific justification and could undermine efforts aimed at restoring the country’s declining fish stocks, since artisanal fishers also contributed to the pressure on marine resources.

Speaking during his inaugural lecture, Prof Aggrey-Fynn stressed that rebuilding fish stocks required a collective approach involving all categories of fishers.

He noted that although artisanal fishermen might not be the main perpetrators of illegal fishing, their activities still formed part of the overall pressure on fisheries resources and therefore excluding them from the closed season was not appropriate.

The inaugural lecture, delivered on the theme: “Ghana’s declining fisheries resources: Reality or myth,” examined the state of the country’s fisheries and the sustainability of current practices.

Prof Aggrey-Fynn indicated that the fisheries sector contributed about 1.2 per cent to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product and supplied nearly 60 per cent of the nation’s protein needs annually.

Despite its importance, he observed that fish stocks, especially Sardinella, were declining rapidly due to overfishing, weak management practices and changing climatic conditions.

He said although the closed season remained an important strategy to allow fish stocks to recover, its implementation continued to face resistance from fishing communities due to the economic difficulties it created.

To address the situation, Prof Aggrey-Fynn suggested the introduction of alternative livelihood programmes in fishing communities to reduce excessive dependence on fishing.

He also advised consumers to consider patronising less exploited fish species instead of focusing on highly demanded species such as squid, shrimps and snappers, which were under heavy fishing pressure.

GHBUSS

March 27, 2026