The Fisheries Commission, has revealed plans to activate a Ghana-EU working group sessions to discuss and solutions to concerns raised by the European Union (EU) in its issuance of a yellow card to Ghana over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its marine territory.
The activation of the Ghana-EU working group sessions was disclosed by Emmanuel Kwame Dovlo, Deputy Director of Fisheries at the Fisheries Commission.
Ghana, a few weeks ago, was issued a warning (yellow card) by the European Commission.
The yellow card meant that, Ghana risks being identified as a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, hence also risk being sanctioned and restricted from exporting its fishery products to the European market.
According to the Commission, the warning is based on various shortcomings in Ghana’s ability to comply with its duties under international law as “flag, port, coastal or market State.”
The identified shortcomings the Commission outlined include; illegal transhipments at sea of large quantities of undersized juvenile pelagic species between industrial trawl vessels and canoes in Ghanaian waters, deficiencies in the monitoring, control and surveillance of the fleet and a legal framework that is not aligned with the relevant international obligations Ghana has signed up to.
Adding that sanctions imposed by Ghana on vessels engaging in or supporting IUU fishing activities are not effective and deterrent enough.
But speaking on the Eye on Port programme monitored by norvanreports, Mr Dovlo, asserted that the warning by the EU came as a surprise to the Fisheries Commission as it has already put in place measures to tackle IUU fishing in Ghana.
According to Mr Dovlo, the activation of the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), deployment of observers on industrial trawlers to report on IUU fishing to the Commission, the formation of an inter-agency committee involving the Ministry of National Security which have developed strategies to combat IUU fishing in the country among others were measures being put in place to deal with the menace.
Related Story: EU warns Ghana against IUU fishing; threatens to ban fishery exports from Ghana
“It came as a surprise to us because we have been trying to see how best we can tackle this issue, at the moment we have been able to activate the VMS which is the Vessel Monitoring System, used to tack all industrial vessels. We also have observers on each of the industrial trawlers which bring their observations and reports to the Commission,” he stated.
“Also, there is currently have an interagency meeting involving the Ministry of National Security which have developed strategies to combat iUU fishing. Within the past four weeks, officials of the Commission have embarked on tours to sensitise fishers on the repercussions of IUU fishing, and so there are a lot that we were doing before the warning (yellow card),” added Mr Dovlo.
According to the EU, the yellow card offers Ghana the opportunity to react and take measures to rectify the situation within a reasonable time.
However, if the country should fail in implementing measures to rectify the situation, sanctions such as the prohibition of exports of fishery products from Ghana to the European market will be implemented.
“At this stage, the decision does not entail any measures affecting trade. However, in cases of prolonged and continued non-compliance countries can ultimately face a procedure of identification (red card), which entails sanctions such as the prohibition to export their fishery products to the EU market,” noted the Commission.
The country has therefore been advised to ensure effective monitoring and control of the activities of its fishing vessels and implement an adequate enforcement and sanctioning system.
Ghana has also been advised to ensure a sound fisheries management system in order to prevent fish stemming from IUU fishing activities from reaching its market or others, including the European market.
Ghana in November 2013 received a yellow card which was then lifted in October 2015, after the country addressed its shortcomings.
