Mr. Yasser Arafat-Ali, an artisanal fisherman in charge of Tema Manhean Landing Beach, has called on the government to deploy military personnel on industrial fishing vessels as part of efforts to curb illegal practices at sea.
Mr. Arafat-Ali raised concerns over what he described as persistent illegal fishing activities involving industrial operators and their collaborators, which are depleting fish stocks and threatening the future of the sector.He stressed that enforcement remained the most critical challenge, explaining that while industrial trawlers engaged in destructive practices that damage marine habitats, some artisanal fishers also resorted to light fishing as a survival strategy.
He made these remarks when Madam Emelia Arthur, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, announced the 2026 fishing closed season schedule at the Tema Canoe Basin in Tema Newtown. He argued that stricter regulation of industrial trawlers would reduce pressure on local fishers to engage in illegal practices.
The fisherman explained that habitat destruction had significantly reduced fish availability for artisanal operators along the coast. He noted that although illegal methods were also used within the artisanal sector, such practices were often driven by economic hardship and declining catches.
Mr. Arafat-Ali further alleged complicity on the part of some fisheries observers assigned to monitor industrial vessels, claiming that they were sometimes bribed to neglect their duties, thereby allowing illegal activities—such as the transshipment of fish at sea—to continue unchecked.
According to him, in some instances, observers were paid substantial sums to remain ashore while vessels operated without supervision. He maintained that deploying military personnel on board could serve as a more effective deterrent.
He also highlighted concerns about the harvesting of juvenile fish and small pelagic species, such as anchovies, by industrial fleets. He warned that the practice disrupts the marine food chain and reduces the availability of larger, commercially valuable species.
The fishermen expressed optimism about recent government measures, including the enforcement of the 12-nautical-mile inshore exclusion zone for industrial vessels. They emphasised that if properly enforced, the policy could help restore fish stocks in coastal waters.
By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah