Ghana gets 600 million annually from fish exports

Ho, Aug 12, GNA - Ghana earns about 600 million dollars annually, from the export of over 500,000 metric tonnes of high- grade fish, including shrimps, prawns and octopuses to the European market.

Mr Eddie Akita, the Minister of State for Fisheries, told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview at Ho, that the country imports about 200 million dollars worth of fish annually, from Namibia, Mauritania and Chile to make up for the shortfall of the national fish requirements. He said a requirement of about 800,000 metric tonnes of fish per annum and about 25 kilos of fish per person per annum, could not be met due to illegal means of fishing, which deplete the stock.

Mr Akita said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would by the end of the year, acquire a vessel to monitor and patrol Ghana's territorial waters to enforce marine laws and check the nefarious activities bedevilling the industry.

Mr Akita warned foreign fishing boats and their local collaborators to refrain from the negative activities before the law deals with them.