An artisanal fisherman in charge of the Tema Manhean Landing Beach, Yasser Arafat-Ali, has appealed to the government to deploy military personnel on board industrial fishing vessels to strengthen enforcement against illegal fishing practices at sea.
He made the appeal at the Tema Canoe Basin in Tema Newtown when the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, announced the 2026 fishing closed season schedule.
According to him, weak enforcement has allowed destructive fishing practices by some industrial operators to continue, leading to the rapid depletion of fish stocks and threatening the sustainability of the sector.
Mr Arafat-Ali noted that although illegal practices also exist within the artisanal sector, they are largely driven by economic hardship and declining catches. He argued that stricter monitoring of industrial fishing vessels would significantly ease the pressure on local fishers.
He highlighted that activities such as habitat destruction by industrial vessels have drastically reduced fish availability along the coast, making it increasingly difficult for many artisanal fishers to sustain their livelihoods.
“In some cases, observers are paid to stay ashore while vessels operate without supervision,” he stated, insisting that the presence of military personnel on board would serve as a stronger deterrent.
Mr Arafat-Ali also expressed alarm over the harvesting of juvenile fish and small pelagic species such as anchovies by industrial fleets. He cautioned that the practice undermines the marine ecosystem and threatens the availability of more valuable fish species.
Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism about current government interventions, particularly the enforcement of the 12-nautical-mile inshore exclusion zone. He noted that strict compliance could help revive fish stocks and support the recovery of the fishing industry.