Stakeholders in the Artisanal fisheries across the country are calling for a new approach in the fight against the illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in Ghana’s fishing industry.

According to them, the recent yellow card the European Commission issued to Ghana is a grave concern and should push the Ministry of fisheries to devise better approaches in fighting the menace.

At a news conference at Winneba, the Canoe and Gear Owners indicated they were directly affected by the decline in fish stocks and would want the Fisheries Ministry to succeed but want a holistic approach.

The news conference by the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana centered on the Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fisheries activities and the ongoing operations to enforce the Fisheries laws and regulations against IUU fishing.

Chairman of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, Nana Kweigya, implored on the Fisheries and aquaculture Ministry and the Fisheries Commission to try other innovative means of addressing the depleting fish stocks in Ghana.

They say they had long anticipated the challenges that the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) and the Fisheries Commission (FC) were going through in enforcing the laws, and have offered their views on a number of platforms, but were not given attention.

He noted, “We have said earlier on during the closed season period, that the NO IUU pronouncement by MoFAD /FC is a laudable one, because it can no more be business as usual. However, the absence of a comprehensive plan and strategies is not helpful in that regard.

We have also said that over reliance on enforcement is unsustainable.”

Nana Kweigya says as key stakeholders in the Artisanal Fisheries, they are highly concerned about the dying state of artisanal fisheries in the country coupled with the recent yellow card issued by the EU commission.

He further intimated the challenges the fisheries industry faces with demands of a new and innovative approach to fight against illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing (IUU fishing).

“There is the need for a comprehensive plan and strategies that focus not only on enforcement and deterrence but largely on compliance to address IUU fishing in artisanal fisheries.

“We call on the Ministry to institute quarterly meetings with Canoe and Gear Owners as a platform for engagements,” he said.

The Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana has thus, called on the Ministry to institute quarterly meetings with the association as a platform for engagements.