Fisheries Ministry suspends four trawler licences over illegal fishing
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, together with the Fisheries Commission, has taken decisive enforcement action by suspending the licences of four industrial trawl vessels found violating Ghana’s maritime regulations within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). On April 1, 2025, licences for the vessels—Meng Xin 10 (Nassa Co. Ltd.), Florence 2 (Akrafi Fisheries), and Long Xiang 607 & 608 (Wannimas Complex Co. Ltd.)—were suspended for 12 months under Sections 76(1) and 76(2) of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625), with immediate effect. These vessels were found to have committed multiple serious infractions, including unauthorised transshipment (locally known as Saiko), dumping of fish at sea, fishing in restricted zones, and harvesting juvenile fish in breach of the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968) and Section 132 of Act 625. Impact on Marine Ecosystem & Local Communities The ministry emphasised that such practices are a […]