The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson, has commenced the distribution of food items and fishing nets to the fishing communities along the coast to support their livelihood during the closed season.
Her donates comes following the closure of the sea (Closed Fishing Season) to fishing activities for the artisanal and Inshore fishers as stipulated by section 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625).
This novel initiative is directed at offering some form of respite to the fishers during the month-long closed fishing season exercise aimed at helping the replenishment of the depleting fish stock in our seas.
The Hon. Minister also used the opportunity to advice the fishers to desist from engaging in unauthorized methods of fishing due to its negative impact on the fishing stock.
The relief exercise when completed will see the distribution of over 15,000 bags of rice, 7,500 cartons of oil and 6,000 recommended fishing nets to persons within the fishing communities.
The beneficiary communities which have since benefited from the first phase of the exercise are Gomoa Nyanyano, Gomoa Dampase, Gomoa Fetteh, Senya and Winneba, all in the Central Region.
The second and final phase of the relief exercise will cover fishers in some parts of Central, Western, Volta and Greater Accra Regions. End.