December 31, 2012

Ghana's 2011 fish production rises by 8.2%

Ghana's fish production increased from 407,813 tonnes in 2009 to 441,590 tonnes in 2011, up 8.2%, making Ghana one of the fastest growing countries in fish production.

Aquaculture production also increases from 7,200 tonnes in 2009 to 19,092 tonnes in 2011, representing 165% increase.

This is according to the Chairman of the Fisheries Commission, Mike Akyeampong. He stated that fish consumption in the country is between 32-35 kilogrammes, noting that the country made enough earnings from the export of fish over the year.

Akyeampong said export earnings from fish products increased from US$153 million in 2009 to US$256 million in 2011 representing a rise of 62%. In 2011, he said the fish requirement for the country was about 992,000 tonnes of which about 440,990.27 tonnes were produced, leaving a deficit of 551,009.73.

Akyeampong noted that the answer to the deficit could be realised in the near future by increasing production in aquaculture which was encouraged by the Kyoto Convention of 1976.

Fortunately, he said the weekly Ghana had within three years (2009-11) increased the production of aquaculture through its brigades. He said the weekly fish requirement was 19,948 tonnes, while the weekly supply was 11,968 tonnes, with Tema alone supplying 5,984 tonnes.

"In Ghana, 60% of protein from animal origin has been from fish," he said, noting that the government was doing all it could to sustain the fishing industry.

Akyeampong noted that the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Fisheries Commission would continue its civic responsibility of educating fishermen and fish mongers on the dos and don'ts of the Fisheries Act 625.

He said to facilitate the education of the fishing community, the Commission had translated and printed the Fisheries Regulations into five local languages namely Ewe, Dangme, Ga, Fanti and Nzema, to enable the fisher folks understand the provisions under the Act.

Fish, he said, accounted for about 60% of protein obtained from animal sources by Ghanaians, ensuring not only the "good health of our people but also enhancing the mental sharpness of our children due to the presence of Omega three acids in fish."