Fishermen at the Nungua Landing Beach in the Greater Accra region have bemoaned the impact of light fishing on their businesses and livelihoods

According to them, the activity of light fishing has taken a huge toll on them, and crippling the fishing Industry

Richard Bortey had three wives in the past, but due to the current situation of the fishing sector, two of them divorced him.

He lamented the rate at which fishing communities in Ghana including Nungua in the Greater Accra region have been plagued by plastic waste and its impact on the work.

"I started fishing in 1966 which was a good era until in 1979 when the light fishing was introduced. Since then, the fishing Industry has been affected which is very bad. Two of my three wives left me because the business has been bad", he said

Emmanuel Bortey has been fishing for 20 years and explained how plastics have been affecting their business.

With the piloting of the automated premix fuel distribution, to reduce human element, Mr. Bortey described it as a step in the right direction.

"With the automated premix fuel distribution, I think it's good and it’s helping our business but plastics are all over in the sea which is bad. We go for fishing and get absolutely nothing but plastics"

The fishermen however believe with effective management, the situation could be reversed

Ghana has adequate valuable stocks of fish

Total domestic production, including aquaculture is about 440,000 tons each year.

However, the fishing industry in Ghana has reached a low level equilibrium that provides little prospect for improving the welfare of fisher folks or contribution to the economy as a whole.

Over the years, different measures have been put in place to keep the sector running, but its implementation has been faced with number of issues.