ACCRA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Ghana on Wednesday started the maiden seasonal fishing ban to gradually restore stock levels.
The closed fishing season is a period when fishermen are prohibited from fishing in the ocean to enable the fingerlings to grow and ensure bumper catch upon resumption of fishing activities.
It is aimed at achieving sustainable fishing and also helping replenish the depleting fish stock in the sea sub-sector, a result of over-exploitation and bad fishing practices.
In addition to the one-month closure for canoe and inshore fishers, industrial trawlers will also be banned from fishing activities from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30.
According to a Fisheries Commission report, Ghana is experiencing a continuous decline in fish stock levels and sizes of fish due to over-exploitation of the sea through illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing activities.
