Fishermen at the Tema Canoe Landing Beach Basin are urging the government to reconsider the timing of the closed fishing season, expressing concerns over its impact on their festive period.

Ismael Ashitey, one of the fishermen, voiced his dissatisfaction with the current period designated by the government, citing difficulties faced during their celebrations.

The call was made during an interview with the B&FT, following a tragic incident where two fishermen lost their lives at sea. The unfortunate incident occurred when the fishermen encountered the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s (GPHA) Marine Taskforce, and their bodies were later discovered ashore on Thursday morning, having apparently drowned during their return from a fishing expedition.

Nii Odametey, the Tema Awudum Chief Fisherman, disclosed that despite the ongoing closed season, which is set to end on July 31, 2023, the Tema Traditional Council had an agreement with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) to allow selected fishermen to catch fish for traditional customs related to the celebration of this year’s Homowo Festival. This customary practice had been in place for the past four years since the implementation of the closed season, with all relevant security agencies being well aware of it.

According to Nii Odametey, twelve fishermen ventured out for fishing at around midnight on Thursday. Tragically, he received a report in the early hours of the morning that the GPHA security had allegedly collided with their canoe, causing it to capsize and resulting in the deaths of two fishermen.

The fishing community is now urging for a prompt and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two fishermen. These fishermen had embarked on customary rites fishing, an integral part of the preparations for the annual homowo celebration in Tema. The Ashaman Woleitse, Nii Adjeirteh Mator, emphasized that the fishing expedition was a customary requirement not only to commence the celebration of the Homowo festival but also to prepare the traditional festive food, kpokpoi.

Isaac Tawiah, the Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the Fishing Harbour, confirmed that the GPHA is conducting an investigation into the incident.