Ghana has been forced to import over 60 percent of its fish because people in the country are consuming too much fish, the Co-convener of the Fisheries Alliance, Richster Nii Amarfio has said.
The country is said to consume over 950,000 metric tons of fish annually. Last year, it was compelled to import $135 million worth of fish due to the reduction in the country’s fish stock.
Many have since expressed fears that the country may soon lose its fishing stock if the situation is not reversed.
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In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr Armafio said: “We [Ghana] are consuming about twice the world average consumption and only a few people consume that fish.”
“We first need to look at the lopsided consumption in the fisheries sector and then develop a proper post-harvest sector that is able to attract investors into the country to now start the process of canning fish and if that happens, our consumption will go down and our earnings from the fisheries sector will grow.”
“You can’t say that the 400,000 metric tonnes we are producing is not enough. It is the way we consume fish that is the problem because we have not developed the processes of storing fish,” Mr. Armafio said.
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He also attributed the country’s fish deficit to the activities of illegal miners as the inland contribution to fisheries “has completely been cut out.”