This follows reports from the Volta Region that four people had died after consuming the puffer fish while several others were hospitalized.

The Head of Fish Health Unit of the Fisheries Commission, Dr Peter Ziddah in an interview with Citi News urged the public to be extra careful when it comes to the Puffer fish as it is even more poisonous than Cyanide (sodium or potassium cyanide used as a poison or in the extraction of gold and silver).

[contextly_sidebar id=”xKdjTsqbjIXe2aT4qSGjbHs8ZMN8gFHE”]He also said the Commission has not given anyone the clearance to sell the puffer fish to the public.

He said “what happened with regards to the puffer fish in the Volta Region is purely a public health issue. We need to warn people about what to eat and what not to eat.”

“In this case we are talking about processing, people need to learn how to process their catches before eating. The Puffer fish is more poisonous than cyanide. You need some special skills to be able to process that fish to eat,” Dr Ziddah added.

“Like in Asia before you sell this fish you are certified, here who certifies who? We don’t certify people to sell this fish so for the public I would advise they should just go off it, not buy it at all and don’t eat it because you don’t know where it is coming from,” he stated.

Education on Poisonous Puffer to Intensify
The Food and Drugs Authority a few days ago said that it is in talks with the Ministry of Fisheries and other agencies to intensify the education on the dangers of consuming the said fish.

When he spoke to Citi News’, James Lartey, the Public Relations Officer for the Authority said the FDA officers “together with the fisheries department in the Volta Region and the Municipal Assembly embarked on an exercise where they visited a number of markets and all the markets they went to did not have any sample of that fish.”

“According to our officer, the women at the market were saying they know it to be it’s a poisonous fish so it is not a fish that is sold there. I was told they were already aware of that particular fish but there is the need for further education so I am sure when they meet, they will be able to trash all these things and strategize on communications so they will be able to better inform the people on that fish,” Mr. Lartey said.

It still remains unclear how the fish may have contributed to the said deaths, however, some residents have attributed it to the ill-preparation of the fish before consumption.

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By: Rita Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Don’t eat ‘poisonous’ Puffer fish – Fisheries Commission appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This according to him is part of activities to regenerate the dwindling fish stock in Ghana’s fishing waters.

Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of a two day Fisheries Alliance program, Mr. Amarfio says the decision though will come at a cost will go a long way to revive the low fish catch that fishermen have had to grapple with.
He noted that “scientists are telling us that Sadinella stocks are pregnant around August and so if you have observed, when you get them, they have a lot of eggs in them. The idea is to allow August to pass so that they will lay their eggs for the juveniles to go into the wild. The adult will then be available for capture”.

He continued that “you need every fish to spawn at least once to keep the cycle going. If we want to restock our fisheries, we need not to disturb the spawning process”.

August is predominantly the period fishermen have bumper catch.

It is the season they hope to recoup capital investment. It is the same time many women along the fish value chain make returns and to settle debt.

A ban on fishing this time could mean a threat to livelihoods of the fishermen.

However, Mr. Amarfio noted that fishermen, whilst waiting for the stock to rejuvenate in the one month duration can be employed to clean their landing beaches and paid them from subsidies from premix fuel.

“So that whilst they are waiting, they can be paid to clean their shores for the September catch and also take responsibility of the sanitary situation at their beaches. It will help them to stay in business somehow. This is what is done in the Philippines to sustain their fish stock”.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fishing activities to be halted in August 2018 if… – Fisheries Alliance appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Commission destroyed about 30 trolley nets and about two hundred and fifty mono-filament nets all worth about three million Ghana cedis.

According to the head of monitoring control and surveillance division of the fisheries commission, Godfrey Baidoo Tsibu, the exercise is a measure by the commission to deter fishermen and fishing vessels from using unapproved fishing methods.

He said the materials set on fire were collected from about a thousand fishermen along the coastal lines of the country from 2015 till date.

“These nets here were seized from 2015 till date and it was during our routine monitoring exercises along the coastal lines to ensure that the right type of fishing practice is adhered to. And during the exercise, these nets and other illegal gadgets were seized from about one thousand fishermen and trolley vessels.”

Mr. Baidoo said upon the seizure, the court directed that the nets be destroyed whilst other gadgets such as lights and generators were auctioned.

He said the exercise is to send a message to the public especially fishermen to desist from using unapproved nets and gadgets since they would not be spared when caught.

He said the right specification of fishing nets to be used must be two inches and above.

“The nets being destroyed are mono-filament nets and we encourage fishermen to use the multi-filament nets with a specification of two inches and above.”

He said fishermen who are caught engaged in any form of illegal fishing would be prosecuted and have their equipment seized.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Fisheries Commission destroys illegal fishing nets worth GHc3m appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The project, which is funded by the European Union will be completed in 2021.

When completed in 2021, it is expected to address key issues affecting the fisheries sector such as over-fishing, unsustainable fishing practices, unreported and unregulated fishing, low compliance of fisheries sector laws and weak capacity for law enforcement.

At the launch of the project, Project Coordinator at Care Ghana, Zakaria Yakubu, explained that “Far Ban Bo” will cover 30 districts in the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta Regions.

The project implementers will work closely with key fisheries stakeholders in the marine and inland fisheries sectors to ensure that the capacity of fishery associations are strengthened, to engage in equitable fisheries governance to safeguard the livelihood of vulnerable smallholder fishers” in the country.

He added that “the overall objective of “Far Ban Bo” is to contribute to sustainable fisheries resources management to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihood of smallholder fishers and other users of fisheries resources”.

Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, in his opening remarks, bemoaned the dwindling fortunes of the fisheries sector, and the seeming neglect by the powers that could help regulate the sector.

He commended the consortium for the initiative, and implored fishermen to engage in practices that will sustain their livelihood and avoid bad fishing practices that threaten their lives.

Western Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Alex Sarbah, reiterated the government’s resolve to see a vibrant fishery sector by introducing a sustainable fisheries management framework.

He cited the Marine Fisheries Management Plan that has initiatives to ensure the sector resuscitates for sustainable fishing in the country, as one move by the state to protect the fisheries resources.

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Project to enhance fisheries sector governance launched appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.