Accra: The Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) has made an urgent call to the Parliament to prioritise the extension and strict enforcement of the Inshore Exclusive Zone (IEZ), a critical area reserved for artisanal fishers.
According to Ghana News Agency, Nana Kweigyah, the National President of CaFGOAG, expressed the association's keen interest in the ongoing parliamentary considerations. He urged the prioritisation of the IEZ extension, highlighting its importance to over three million Ghanaians who rely on a healthy and accessible marine ecosystem for their livelihoods, nutrition, and culture.
Nana Kweigyah commended the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs of the Parliament of Ghana for engaging with artisanal fishers regarding the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill currently under consideration. He noted that the IEZ faces pressure from industrial vessels fishing too close to shore, which violates existing laws and leads to declining fish catches for artisanal fishers, destruction of fishing gear, and degradation of marine habitats.
He further indicated that the 2022-2026 Marine Fisheries Management Plan includes provisions for extending the IEZ, acknowledging the government's recognition of the need to protect the IEZ, artisanal fisheries, and marine habitats. Nana Kweigyah emphasized that extending the IEZ to 12 nautical miles or 50 meters, whichever is farther, aligns with scientific evidence and the precautionary principle necessary to sustain Ghana's fisheries and ensure intergenerational equity.
He pointed out that countries like The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau already have an IEZ of 12 nautical miles, and several others are in the process of extending their zones. The CaFGOAG urged Members of Parliament to support the IEZ extension as a matter of food security, social justice, and national resilience.
