According to the information several industrial trawlers do fishing within the IEZ in the past week off Winneba/Cape Coast resulting in destruction of fishing nets of canoe fishermen. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said that the Ministry condemns the activities of those unscrupulous fishing trawlers involved in such activities and take the opportunity to remind operators of fishing vessels that the Inshore Exclusive Zone is set aside for the exclusive use of the canoe fleet.
It is informed that trawling in the IEZ was contrary to the Fisheries Act and the penalty on summary for conviction for trawling in the IEZ included a fine of between 100,000 dollars to 500,000 dollars. MOFA therefore wishes to assure the canoe fishers and the public that any vessel that breaks the law will face the full rigors of the law.
The Western Naval Command was immediately informed of the illegal activity of the fishing trawlers. It said the Ministry again on December 9 informed the Western Naval Command of the re-appearance of fishing trawlers in the same area. The Ministry appealed to all fishermen to be on the look out for fishing vessels that are bent on breaking the fishing law and report such infractions to the Ministry or the Ghana Navy for appropriate action.
