The Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) has launched the Safe Fish Certification and Licensing Scheme (SFCLS) to regulate the fish processing sector through the accreditation and licensing of fish processors.

The programme was launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), the Fisheries Commission, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA)

The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mr Moses Anim, who spoke at the launch on Tuesday in Accra, said the Certification and Licensing scheme, which was developed from the 2019 pilot of the "Class one" recognition scheme, would ensure the production of safe fish and healthy seafood.

"The government has prioritized the National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA) to change the fortunes of women in the fisheries value chain, thus the Ministry supports the implementation of this scheme as a key intervention to address food safety issues in our small-scale fish processing sector," he added

He disclosed that under the scheme, fish processors would follow a code of conduct to meet health and hygiene standards to reduce contaminants.

Mr Paul Bannerman, Deputy Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission (FC), explained that the FC, in collaboration with GFRA, would strengthen the capacity of fish processors by providing training on hygienic fish handling and good processing practices before facility auditing to ensure processors qualify for certification.

He reaffirmed the Commission's plans to establish internal frameworks for facility audits and certification applications.

The launch featured cooking demonstrations showcasing certified fish that had been processed as well as an exhibition of fish products that could be purchased in both domestic and foreign markets.