Ghanaian songwriter and musician, Martin King Arthur, popularly known as Kofi Kinaata, has released a new song on the closed fishing season.
The song dubbed “Illegal Fishing [Closed Season]” was done in collaboration with Ministry Of Fisheries and the Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project to help increase awareness of the closed fishing season and combat illegal fishing in Ghana whilst promoting best practices.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission announced the closure of the season for artisanal fishing from Wednesday, May 15 to Saturday, June 15, 2019.
The decision is aimed at reducing the over-exploitation of fish stocks in Ghana’s waters.
It also forms part of measures to regenerate Ghana’s fast-depleting fish stocks.
However, some fisherfolks have complained that dynamite fishing, transhipment, light fishing and other illegal fishing methods, are still in force even after the announcement.
According to them, if these illegal fishing methods are still in place, this year’s closed season will be meaningless.
This project between Kofi Kinaata and Ministry of Fisheries is to help discourage illegal fishing and fishing methods while promoting the need to obey the government’s order till the appointed time.
In the video shot at a coastal area, Kofi Kinaata advises against using chemicals in fishing.
He calls on people to protect the water bodies to help secure the water for the future generation.
This song comes after a successful previous collaboration with UN Migration Agency to combat illegal migration in Ghana, where Kofi Kinaata released No Place Like Home.