Ms. Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Minister in charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture on Friday said a major breakthrough had been made in the fisheries industry to expand production and combat illegal, unprotected and unregulated fishing in the country.
To that end, she said the fisheries amendment regulation (LI 2217) 2015 had been reviewed to give meaning to the fisheries amendment act, Act 880 of 2014, and for the two amendments to help regulate the fishing industry.
Ms Ayittey was speaking at the 31st edition of the National Farmers Day celebration in Bolgatanga in the upper East Region. It was celebrated on the theme, “Transform Ghana, Invest in Agriculture”.
She said for the country to achieve the sustainable management of her fishery resources, it was incumbent on all stakeholders to help to protect the sector as the livelihoods of more than 2.4 million people depended on that sector.
She said fish capture, processing, marketing and associated services constituted a significant source of livelihood, with the sector generating over US$1billion each year and accounting for at least 4.5 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
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