Cape coast: Professor Joseph Aggrey-Fynn, a Professor of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences with the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has called on the government and fisheries authorities to scrap all minor landing beaches to allow for proper monitoring and regulation. He emphasized that with a coastal stretch of just about 550 kilometres, the existence of more than 300 landing sites makes enforcement difficult, allowing noncompliant fishermen to engage in Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Aggrey-Fynn highlighted that in some regions, fishing gear and boats are inspected before departure, making it challenging to use illegal tools and substances without detection. However, he noted that in places like Elmina, fishermen openly carry generators, indicating their intent to engage in illegal light fishing. Prof Aggrey-Fynn, who is also the Founding Director of UCC's Institute for Oil and Gas, made these remarks during his inaugural lecture at UCC, themed 'Ghana's declining fisheries resources: Reality or myth.'
He presented data showing the significant contributions of the fisheries sector to the Ghanaian economy and food security, noting its contribution of 1.2 per cent to the national GDP and provision of 60 per cent of the annual protein needs. Nevertheless, he observed a severe depletion of fish stocks, particularly the Sardinella species, due to overexploitation, poor fisheries management, and climatic conditions.
Prof. Aggrey-Fynn urged the government to invest in developing the emerging Blue Economy to reduce over-reliance on fishing as the sole livelihood source. He suggested that the Blue Economy offers vast business opportunities, especially in tourism and transportation, that could be harnessed for development. He cited Cape Verde as an example, where tourists pay substantial amounts to swim with turtles, and proposed that Ghana could replicate such initiatives with its whales and dolphins for tourism purposes.
Furthermore, Prof Aggrey-Fynn announced that UCC is establishing the Africa Ocean Institute to transform fisheries and coastal research on the continent. The Institute is set to be launched in Accra before July this year, and he called for the support of donors and government in this endeavor.