A Member of the Fisheries Commission, Dr Joseph Ofori, has stated that government is on course to implementing the law banning light fishing.
He said government is purchasing equipment to assist the Ghana Navy to enable them strictly enforce the law against light fishing.
He was speaking on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM on Wednesday in reaction to a demonstration by fishermen in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions against illegal fishing methods on Tuesday.
The fishermen said even though legislation on the illegal practices like pair trawling and the use of light for fishing has been passed, nothing was being done to enforce them.
They complained that their businesses were being affected adversely, adding they could not pay for loans they had gone for due to poor catches and sales.
But Dr Ofori said everything is on course to enforcing the ban, disclosing that some fishermen had been arrested in connection with light fishing, adding, it was one of the reasons the fishermen embarked on the demonstration.
He noted that canoe fishermen and inshore fishermen are all guilty of the use of light fishing even though the canoe fishermen always complain that there are selectivity in the arrests on fishermen engaging in light fishing.
Meanwhile a senior member of the Winneba Fishermen Association, Nana Kow Akyi has said that he supports the demonstration his colleagues embarked on.
According to him, successive governments had done little to help fishermen in the country even though they state so in their manifestos.
Nana Akyi said during his campaign before the 2008 elections, President Mills promised to tackle the issue of light fishing when he assumed office but little to nothing has been done to help them.
He alleged that fishermen in areas like Sekondi, Elmina were still embarking on light fishing because there was no strict enforcement of the law.
The chief fisherman of Nungua, Nii Tetteh Bortier also blamed President Mills and the government for not enforcing the law against light fishing saying they had had discussions with the authorities but nothing has been done.
He stated that they are expecting the government to work to enforce the law on light fishing immediately or they would use other means to make government appreciate their efforts.
