Fisheries Ministry, Commission Suspend Fishing Licences of 4 Industrial Vessels
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Fisheries Commission have suspended the fishing licences of four Industrial trawl vessels operating within Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The suspension will remain in force for the next one year beginning on April 1, 2025, in accordance with Sections 76(1) and 76(2) of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625).
The four are Meng Xin 10, (Owners: Nassa Co. L.td.), Florence 2 (Owners: Akrafi Fisheries), Long Xiang 607 and Long Xiang 608 (Owners: Wannimas Complex Co. Ltd.).
They were found to have engaged in multiple illegal fishing practices contrary to the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) and the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.1. 1968) including unauthorised transshipment, dumping of fish, fishing in restricted zones and harvesting of juvenile fish.
“These practices severely threaten Ghana’s marine ecosystem, undermine efforts toward sustainable fisheries management and adversely affect the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities,” it said in a statement.
The Ministry observes that Ghana’s fisheries sector has long been challenged by overfishing and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, which continue to endanger marine biodiversity, erode the income of artisanal fishers and compromise national food security.
It explained that “Practices such as illegal transshipment-locally known as Saiko-have particularly contributed to the depletion of key fish stocks and damaged the integrity of marine governance. Section 132 of Act 625 criminalizes illegal transshipment, while Regulation 33(2) of LI. 1968 explicitly prohibits transshipment between industrial vessels and canoes.”
It noted that these activities breach both domestic law and international obligations and hinder progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14, which seeks to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.
It therefore cautioned industrial, semi-industrial and artisanal fishing operators to comply fully with the provisions of the law, warning that continued violations will attract sanctions including license suspensions, cancellations and legal action.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
