This would help fishers appreciate the valid grounds for the three-moratorium on new canoe entrants without which its implementation may be considered as impositions and may suffer compliance by artisanal fishers.

A statement signed by the President of CaFGOAG, Nana Kweigya and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Takoradi said.
It said some artisanal fishers foresee serious implementation challenges due to the number and nature of landing beaches in Ghana and the FC’s inability to emboss all canoes as of now signaling that fishers may be made to go through difficult situations.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Acqua Cultural Development (MoFAD) and the Fisheries Commission believed that the 2022-2026 Marine Fisheries Management Plan would significantly address issues in the sector.

The statement said CaFGOAG was privileged to be part of recent regional engagements organized by the Fisheries Commission (FC) and partners in the Western, Greater Accra and Volta Region but not Central Region but prayed that the FC provided more clarity on the implementation plan and allowed fishers to make inputs into it before proceeding with implementation.

The statement said canoe owners find the proposed replacement process for existing canoes cumbersome and likely to make many canoe owners unable to return to business when it becomes necessary to replace their canoes during the period of implementation.

The Association therefore recommended that the national level engagement by MoFAD/FC, was broadened to allow for participation of other fisher association particularly canoe owners who have inputs to make into decisions regarding the moratorium and replacement arrangement.

It further recommended that the deadline for the embossment of canoes was extended to allow members to go through the embossment process without any hurdle and that the MoFAD/FC took steps to establish flexible new canoe entrants’ process and publicise same to get the current open access in the sector.

To contribute to the process, the National Executive Council (NEC) of CaFGOAG will further direct that all CaFGOAG members and by extension canoe owners as a matter of urgency get all canoes embossed.

The statement urged MoFAD/FC to consider the proposals and recommendations in the quest to sustain the fisheries sector for the future.