Personnel of the Ghana Navy have arrested 15 fishermen for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Ada.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Nx7ealI7zvZ40gvgsANyAYAJP87GsmOR”]According to Citi News’ correspondent, Elvis Washington, items confiscated from the fishermen included 31 generators, 32 high voltage bulbs and other fishing equipment.
The Public Relations Officer of One Garrison of the Ghana Armed forces, Lieutenant Maxwell Assola disclosed that the fishermen were arrested on January 25 when the Navy was on its usual patrol.
The suspects have been placed in custody at the Tema Port while the Railway Police are carrying out further investigations into the matter.
Lieutenant Assola assured Ghanaians that the Ghana Navy is determined to protect the country’s territorial waters from illegal fishing and pirates.
Illegal fishing cost Ghana over 100 million euros last in 2012.
The use of light to attract fish and other illegal means of fishing including the use of dynamites, are adversely affecting the fishing industry in Ghana.
The phenomenon is now posing massive threat to livelihoods of ten percent of Ghana’s 24 million population who depend on the industry.
The practice has drastically reduced the amount of fish caught by local fishermen and has thus contributed to the rise in importation of fish into the country.
The European Union also threatened the country to find ways of stopping the phenomenon or risk being banned from exporting any fish.
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By: Patricia Conteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana