Ankaful (C/R), Feb. 6, GNA - Fishermen and fish-mongers at Ankaful n= ear Saltpond in the Central Region, have opposed the demonstration of some of their colleagues against the ban of the use of light for fishing. They have therefore pledged their unflinching support for the Fisherie= s Act, 2002 Act 652 and Fisheries Regulation 2010- Legislative Instrument LI 1968.

They declared their support in a counter demonstration at Ankaful to throw their weight behind the Fisheries Regulation, which ban fishing without licence, fishing within 30 metre depth zone (inclusive zone for in-shore fishermen) and fishing with light. Nana Kwame Kobea, Acting Chief Fisherman for Ankaful appealed to the In-shore Fishermen Association not to politicise the LI since it was in the interest of the fishing industry. He said the country's marine resources were being depleted at a very fast rate, which called for the protection of the fishing industry from the use of unacceptable practices such as the use of explosives, chemicals and light. He said the appeal made by in-shore fishermen to the government to allow them three months to use light for fishing did not hold water and asked what they would do after the three months had lapsed? Mr Kwesi Arhin, a fishing boat owner said among the 125 fishing communities along the coast of Ghana, only five of them comprising Axim, Sekondi, Elmina, Apam and Mumford supported fishing with light. He said it had been established that the use of powerful electricity bulb to fish contributed to the destruction of aquatic weeds on which fishe= s fed.

Mr Arhin said if the L.I. was not enforced government would be compelled to export fish to feed the citizenry in future. Mr Kwame Bosompim, a fisherman appealed to the government to make ever= y fisherman to take an oath not to use unauthorised methods for fishing. He appealed to the Ghana Navy to intensify its supervision activities to clamp down on the users of light for fishing.