The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission have announced the suspension of fishing licenses for four industrial trawl vessels operating within Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The vessels, Meng Xin 10, Florence 2, Long Xiang 607, and Long Xiang 608, were found to have engaged in various illegal fishing practices, including unauthorized transshipment, dumping of fish, fishing in restricted zones, and harvesting juvenile fish.
According to the Ministry in a statement, these activities “pose serious threats to Ghana’s marine ecosystem, compromise sustainable fisheries management, and adversely impact the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities.”
The suspension of licenses for 12 months, effective April 1, 2025, is in accordance with Sections 76(1) and 76(2) of the Fisheries Act, which grant the Minister authority to suspend licenses for repeated illegalities.
The Ministry warned that “continued violations will attract sanctions, including license suspensions, cancellations, and legal action.” It also urged all fishing operators – industrial, semi-industrial, and artisanal – to comply with the law.
The move is part of the Ministry’s commitment to strict enforcement of fisheries laws to safeguard marine resources and promote sustainable fisheries management for the benefit of present and future generations.
Illegal fishing practices, particularly transshipment (locally known as Saiko), have been a long-standing challenge for Ghana’s fisheries sector, depleting fish stocks, eroding artisanal fishers’ incomes, and threatening national food security.
