The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Mavis Hawa Koomson, has called for measures to save the fisheries sector from decline globally.
The Minister, who made the call at a symposium on fisheries in the global framework of Biodiversity post–2020 at Rabat, Morocco, indicated that fish is one of the most traded food commodities in most nations but that the fishing sector is faced with issues such as IUU fishing, climate change and plastic pollution.
She stated that Ghana is witnessing a decline in fish catches, especially for small-scale fisheries due to environmental issues.
“There is evidence of rising water surface temperature and sea level, increase in water salinity, ocean acidification, and changes in fish distribution due to the impact of climate change,” she added.
That, according to Mrs Koomson, has resulted in a declining profit of fishing operations, especially the artisanal fishers and the prevalence of poverty in fishing communities.
She intimated that climate change and the loss of some fish species are affecting the amount and quality of water resources needed for aquaculture development.
She lauded the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation Among African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO) for organizing the symposium and expressed hope that the topics treated would help find solutions to the challenges facing the sector.