36 for them to leave them just because they have entered the IEZ. He admitted that sometimes
fishing in the IEZ is deliberate because the fish is normally found in the exclusive zones.
3.2 Who is engaged in these practices and generally when and where
they take place? The artisanal fishers admit that illegal fishing practices are mostly committed, by the in- shore
vessels, canoes, and some of the semi- industrial vessels. From the Fisheries Commission, an officer pointed out that,
“the semi- industrial vessels and industrial vessels need not resort to these practices because they have sophisticated gadgets like fish- finders which help them to locate
shoal of fish with ease”.
An officer of Mass Fisheries also stressed the point that,
“The use of carbide, dynamite, DDT and light fishing are predominantly the crime of the artisanal and the in-shore vessels which are incompetition with the semi-
industrial and the industrial vessels”. He hinted that the artisanal groups have resorted to these destructive methods because they
think that the industrial vessels have made it difficult for them to get fish in commercial quantities. That is, they fish below the 12 nautical miles In-shore Exclusive Zone IEZ
reserved for the artisanal fishing.
“The fishing industry is in crisis......, there are no fish stocks to sustain those making a living from fishing. As a result, the fishermen have resorted to all these illegal and
destructive methods in order to make a living”.
According to the FAO 1998, there are four main fishing fleets in Ghana namely, artisanal canoes, in-shore, industrial and tuna fleets. The artisanal sector is reckoned to be the most
dominant and important in terms of fleet, employment and quantum of fish catch and direct and indirect employment Koranteng, 1992. These illegal fishing methods and practices are
not limited to the major fishing areas or landing beaches dotted along coastal Ghana rather, they have a broader spread. From some of the respondents, the illegal fishing activities take
place when the fishermen embark on their fishing expeditions and anytime they deem it prudent especially, when such methods could help them have a good catch. Some of the
fishers said that these days with the light fishing especially, it is difficult for them to make good catch in the night. Places which were mentioned being predominantly involved in light
fishing include Elmina, Axim, Sekondi, Moree, Mumford and Apam. According to the chief fisherman of Moree light fishing is far easier to detect;
“You normally find a generator, bulbs and electric wires in the main vessel and bar boat hooked to the vessel. That should immediately tell you that they
are going to do light fishing. But that is not same with dynamite, carbide, or DDT. These materials can be concealed so unless you catch the person in the
act”
3.3 The evolution of these practices
