The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson, has issued a warning to fishermen against engaging in illegal fishing as Ghana's annual fishing closed season begins.

During a ceremony in Dixcove, Western Region on Monday, July 1, to mark the commencement of the closed season, Hawa Koomson cautioned that anyone caught violating the ban would face severe penalties.

The closed season, aimed at replenishing Ghana’s marine fisheries resources, has become an established annual practice in the fishing industry.

Set to last for a month, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the ban to ensure the sustainability of Ghana’s fisheries resources.

“It has come to my notice that some fisherfolks are planning to land their fish at the Togo border during the Closed season, therefore, kindly be warned that they will be apprehended and charged if they go on with their intention. More so, there shall be no more use of monofilament nets and any unauthorized fishing gear after the opening of the season.”

However, some fishermen in Dixcove expressed concerns about the government's failure to provide adequate support and premix fuel before the closed season, leaving them without sufficient income to support their families during the ban.

“They should have brought us adequate premix before the ban on fishing so we work to make some savings before the closed season so that nobody cries of hunger, but that didn’t happen. The closed fishing season going to make our feeding very difficult, and the government should put in place something to make life bearable for us before because," one of them said.

“The one bag of rice they are bringing would not be enough for a family of four or more without money. How are we going to cope with this? So the government should rather put in place proper financial support for each fisherman because the fishing industry is the major source of livelihood in their Ahanta Area," he added.