Fisherfolk at Jamestown, a fishing community in Accra, experienced a bumper catch on Sunday, August 5, 2024, after the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, 'unlocked' the sea for fishing.

This bumper catch, the Chief Fisherman at James Town, Nii Armah Wulu II, said, was due to the good weather conditions.

In an interview with Citi FM, he noted that the catch made was significantly better than that of previous years.

“For the first time, Sunday and today [Monday], in fact, Sunday was the best; I can say it is because of the weather,” the chief fisherman at James Town said in the interview.

Fisheries minister 'unlocks' sea for artisanal fishermen after closed season

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, opened the sea on Thursday, August 1, 2024, to both artisanal fishermen and industrial trawlers.

This was after the government enforced a closed fishing season, which commenced on July 1, 2024, to allow fish populations to recover and ensure sustainable fishing practices for the future.

Mavis Hawa Koomson entreated the fisherfolk to adhere to best fishing practices and desist from applying chemicals in fishing to avoid the depletion of fish stock. 

"As we symbolically open the sea for artisanal and inshore fleets, we are not just resuming fishing activities but also celebrating the unity and shared responsibility that have brought us so far in our determination to manage the fisheries resources in a sustainable manner," the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture stated.

She added that "they should not use unauthorized fishing nets; they should not use chemicals like dynamite and DDT to do the fishing, and so they should do it sustainably."

Mavis Hawa Koomson also announced that wire mesh will soon be distributed to the fisherfolk and basins will be given to the women.

She further advised the fishermen to take advantage of the fisheries and aquaculture for food and jobs projects rolled out by the government so they could stay in business even when fishing was out of season.

SA/OGB