The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is warning Ghanaians of the sale of smoked dolphins on the market.
The Agency issued this warning following an investigation into the causes of the growing death of whales and dolphins in Ghana’s waters.
About 24 whales have been washed ashore across the country’s coastal areas in the last 6 years.
Professor Ofori-Danso, the head of a 9-member committee sanctioned by the EPA to investigate the matter disclosed that fishermen along the coast are engaged in “targeted slaughter.”
“There is targeted fishing…they are targeting the fishes for their meat and then they smoke their meat so be careful about what you call fish that you buy because you could be eating smoked dolphin,” he warned.
This targeted fishing of dolphins he said has been identified as one of many causes for increasing death of whales.
He stressed that there is a booming market for the dolphins in Ghana adding that, the meat of the dolphin is also used as bait for catching sharks.
Prof. Ofori-Danso also said the increase in plastic waste being dumped in Ghana’s waters adds to the worrying situation.
He said: “One of our major problems is plastics. All the plastics that we are buying, when it rains, they are all washed into the sea.”
He therefore cautioned the fishermen to cease the practice and also advised the general public to be on the lookout for smoked dolphins on the market.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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