Fisheries Minister trains journalists in fisheries reportage

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development cum Member of Parliament for the good people of Krowor has through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development facilitated a five-day Fisheries Management workshop for journalists from media houses spread across the country so as to increase their capacity.

This course was organized by the University of Cape Coast Centre for Coastal Management with funding from the USAID and in collaboration with Nature Today.

This five-day short professional course which was held at Ainoo-Ansah Farms in Gomoa Okyereko, a town near Winneba was strategically planned to empower journalists who have an interest in sustainable development and natural resource management with relevant and accurate knowledge in the subject area of fisheries management. This comes on the back of persistent distortions and/or inadequacies in reports on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Ghana.

At the opening ceremony, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye expressed a keen interest in expanding the scope of the media in fisheries and aquaculture reportage to include fisheries management issues as well as their expectation to efficiently report same.

“I am pleased to note that this training provides the needed platform for engagement among journalists to promote accurate reporting on fisheries issues to aid effective collective decision-making processes, and to advocate voluntary compliance of fisheries management regulations”, she clearly stated.

The hardworking Minister reiterated the need for journalist to be trained so as to ensure accurate fisheries reportage. She emphasised that the role of the media was vital as the media has an important role in informing, educating, enlightening and enriching the public’s knowledge on key issues relevant to the fisheries sector.

“I am optimistic that the outcome of this training will help to mobilize relevant stakeholders to address this important goal, and give momentum and political will to sustainably manage the fisheries and coastal resources with effects lasting well beyond this conference”, she noted.

The vibrant Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister also noted that the short course would discuss into detail key seven (7) major areas within the fisheries and aquaculture landscape relevant to broadening the knowledge and skills of journalists so as to enhance their efficiency in fisheries reportage.

She categorically said that, “I am informed that the short course had will discuss issues of (1) Fisheries Management; (2) Closed Season: At Whose Cost and for Whose Benefits; (3) Closed Seasons: Implications for Fisheries Management in

Ghana; (4) Community-Based Fisheries Management;(5) Legal aspects; (6) Tools for Managing Fisheries; and (7) Post-harvest issues (processing, loss, marketing, transport, storage, etc.).”

In her closing remarks, she expressed enormous gratitude to the USAID, Centre for Coastal Management, Ainoo-Ansah Farms and the University of Cape Coast for partnering the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Ministry to organize this event. She noted that all stakeholders together with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Ministry can rebuild the dwindling fish stocks and sustainably manage the coastal resources of Ghana. Hon. Elizabeth Afoley Quaye was confident the five-day short course would be effective in bringing the needed impact to feed into the sustainable use and conservation of coastal resources.