The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has announced the government’s plans to implement a comprehensive registration and licensing system for artisanal fishing vessels.

According to the minister, this policy, slated to commence mid-2026, aims to ensure effective surveillance of activities on Ghanaian waters.

A key component of the registration policy will be the installation of advanced tracking and communication devices in artisanal canoes, enabling fishermen to send timely distress signals and facilitating search and rescue operations during emergencies.

The minister made this announcement while presenting seven outboard motors and GHS 5,000 each to artisanal vessel owners whose canoes were attacked by armed robbers while at sea in Senya Beraku the previous week, fulfilling the government’s promise.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya West, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, stated that the government has assembled a team of psychologists from the military to provide counselling and guidance to all 71 robbery victims as they prepare to return to sea.


The beneficiaries have expressed their profound gratitude to the government for the prompt intervention.

Background

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) successfully concluded a high-stakes search and rescue operation on Thursday, February 26, 2026, saving 71 Ghanaian fishermen who were left stranded after a violent robbery at sea.

The incident occurred approximately 35 nautical miles off the coast of Gomoa Nyanyano and Senya Bereku in the Central Region.

According to a statement issued by the GAF Department of Public Relations, the fishermen were attacked at dawn by robbers who seized their outboard motors and personal belongings, leaving their vessels immobilised.

The affected boats identified by authorities included the Argentina 2, Argentina 3, Sea Lion, and Berema Nsukwa.

The rescue mission was a collaborative effort involving the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Air Force, and local fishermen from the Nyanyano and Senya Bereku areas.

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