Mumford (C/R), Jan. 13, GNA - Mr Kow Osafo-Kotu, 2007 National Best Fisherman, has urged chief fishermen in coastal communities to organize clean-up exercises to tidy up the beaches as their contribution towards the success of the upcoming African Cup of Nations tournament to be hosted by Ghana.

Speaking at a meeting of fishermen at Mumford in the Central Region on Saturday, Mr Osafo-Kotu said 2008 was a challenging year for fishermen as they had an important role to play in the success of the CAN 2008 and the December election.

He urged chief fishermen to collaborate with traditional rulers; assembly and unit committee members to keep the beaches clean before, during and after the football fiesta, as beaches were well-known destinations for visitors and tourists. Mr Osafo-Kotu urged fishermen to be vigilant during their fishing expeditions and to report any suspicious activities at sea to the appropriate authorities.

"We must be vigilant to prevent people from using the sea for smuggling activities and to prevent people from making the sea a safe heaven for dealing n hard drugs such as cocaine and heroine". "We should not cover them but rather expose them to the law enforcement agencies," he said. He cautioned fishermen to show concern for the depletion of marine resources and refrain from adopting unapproved methods of fishing.