Fisherfolk at Aboadze, Abuesi frustrated over closed fishing season

Fishers at Aboadze and Abuesi communities in the Shama District of the Western Region have expressed frustration over the imposition of the month-long closed fishing season by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.According to them, the ban on fishing activities had been challenging because they had no alternative source of income to sustain them during the closed fishing season period.Some of them who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, said while they recognized that the closed season directive was necessary for sustainable fishing, the move had left them struggling economically.They, therefore, appealed for more support from the government to alleviate the economic impact on their livelihoods.Mr Kwame Mensah, a fisherman from Aboadze, said, 'In Aboadze and Abuesi, fishing is more than a job; it's a way of life and with the imposition of fishing ban, many fishermen find themselves without their primary source of income.'Egya Akyen, another fisherman from A buesi, also could not hide his frustration saying, 'This season has been harder than we anticipated and without fishing, it becomes difficult to put food on the table for our families.'Madam Ama Asumamba, a fishmonger at Abuesi, noted that the inadequate supply of fish during the closed fishing season had impacted their businesses, leading to significant income loss and market disruption.'The situation is terrible to the extent that many indigenes in Aboadze and Abuesi travel to Mpohor and Tarkwa to search for menial jobs, while others even end up undertaking illegal mining activities,' she said.Madam Esi Ankomah, another fishmonger of Aboadze, expressed similar sentiments and called on the government to provide more support for them during the period.Source: Ghana News Agency