Madam Diana Obuobi Sakyibea, the Bono Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission has urged Ghanaians to engage in aquaculture production to reduce the nation’s dependence on imports.
She said aquaculture was not only economically viable, but also sustainable means of increasing the nation’s fish productivity.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on the commission’s performance in the region, Mad Sakyibea said fish remained the cheapest and most accessible source of protein.
She said it was therefore imperative for the nation to expand fish farming to bridge the gap between domestic demand and supply.
Mad Sakyibea advised households and communities to embrace aquaculture and produce fish in ponds or using the tarpaulin and tank systems as well as other holding facilities and to boost local production.
She indicated that the nation’s long-term objective was to significantly reduce, if not completely eliminate importation of fish, saying that now Ghana was counted among countries with high fish consumption rates.
Mad Sakyibea said that the high consumption of fish in the country made it necessary for the nation to increase fish production to meet the local demand.
“As a country, we consume a lot of fish and if we continue to consume more without producing enough locally, then a time will come when we will face serious challenges”, she stated.
Mad Sakyibea said that fish stocks in the marine sector had also reduced and were declining steadily, making aquaculture the most viable remedy to sustaining the nation’s fish annual supplies.
She said the commission would continue to continue to encourage fish farmers to increase production because they held the key to sustaining the fish sector and to address potential future shortages.
Mad Sakyibea warned about the continued depletion of marine resources, saying that could result in a situation “where fishermen go into the sea, return with little or no catch”.
She said that would have serious implications on the nation’s food security and socio-economic livelihoods.
She therefore called for sustained support, motivation and encouragement for fish farmers, saying that aquaculture remained the surest alternative for ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of fish.
