DAA THROUGH SFMP ADVOCATES FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHING PRACTICES DURING 32ND FARMER’S DAY CELEBRATION

Women engaged in fish processing in the country have welcomed the fisheries management plan which seeks to rebuild fish stock to enhance the socio-economic conditions of fishing communities as well as create employment, improve food security and contribute towards foreign exchange earnings within national and international standards.

Development Action Association (DAA) one of local implementing partners of the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) celebrated this year’s farmer’s day with a call to all especially fisher folks to adopt and practice responsible fishing and fishing methods by saying “NO TO BAD FISH”. DAA partook in
the celebration on 4th November 2016 at the district and municipal levels in Tuba in Ga South Municipal Assembly, Winneba in the Efutu Municipal Assembly and Gomoa Mankasim in the Gomoa West District Assembly both in the central regions of Ghana.
The call was made as a part of a yearlong advocacy campaign on sensitising fisher folks and the general public on the need to adopt and practice fishing methods that will help boost the dwindling marine stocks.
Delivering the keynote address, the Municipal Chief Executive Officer of Ga South Hon. Nii Akwai Jerry Thompson, emphasized how unapproved methods of fishing such as the use of light, dynamite, small sized nets and other illegals methods can spoil the sea hence reducing fish stocks and affecting livelihoods of families especially women and children. He urged fishermen and other fisher folks “to set up their own watch dog committee at the landing site to curb these bad practices.”
In a similar vein, Mr Hope Kuma, the Efutu Municipal MOFA director speaking on the theme of the celebration “Agriculture: A business response to economic growth” in Winneba stressed the need to encourage farmers and fishermen to see themselves as business people and should be proud of themselves as the promote food security and contribute to the national income.

It is in this light that the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) – a 5-year food security project sponsored USAID that focuses on assisting the Government of Ghana to achieve her fisheries sector development objectives of poverty reduction and hunger has seen the need to observe this day to draw attention to the needs of avoiding unwholesome fish caught through unapproved methods and processing.
Three fish processors members of DAA who have been practicing responsible fish processing received the award as best District /Municipal fish processors in the afore mentioned Districts and were urged to serve as a model and advocates for reinforcing such good practises