81
4.5.2 The fish smoking businessenterprise
Fuelwood consumers have been in the fish smoking enterprise from less than 10 to 60 years Figure 71. The average years of experience is 21 years across regions with a minimum of 1
occurring in Greater Accra and Western Regions and maximum of 60 years in the Greater Accra Region.
5 10
15 20
25 30
35 40
45 50
Volta Greater
Accra Central
Western All Regions
F is
h sm
ok er
Region No. of years of experience in fish smoking
≥ 11--20
21-30 31-40
41-50 51-60
Figure 72 Number of years of experience in fish smoking
Figure 72 indicates that there are no fuelwood consumer or fish smoker associations in most communities surveyed except in few areas in the following districts:
Volta - Keta, Ketu south, Greater Accra - Accra Metropolitan, Ada East, Ada West, Kpone Katamanso,
LEKMA, Ningo-pramparam Western - Shama Ahanta, Ahanta West, Jomoro
Membership strength range from 8 in Ketu South to 200 people in Ningo-Prampram and Ahanta West Districts Table 30. The main purpose of forming these associations is to
undertake welfare activities in support of members particularly during times of bereavement. Other reasons include the potential of using group credentials as collateral in acquiring loans
from banks or financial institutions and also to bargain for better prices of fuelwood and fresh fish Figure 73.
82
20 40
60 80
100 120
Volta Greater Accra
Central Western
All Regions
Fuelwood consumer
Re gi
on
Membership of consumerfisfh smoker association
Yes No
Figure 73 Membership of fish smokerConsumer association Table 30 Membership strength of fuelwood consumer association
District Number of people in association
Ketu South 8-50
Keta 12-26
Ada East 26-100
Kpone-Katamanso 50-60
LEKMA 50-200
Ningo-Prampram 50-200
Ahanta West 200
Jomoro 17-135
Table 31 Distribution of membership strength of fuelwood consumerfish smoker association
Frequency Volta Greater Accra Western All Regions
≤20 8
2 10
21-60 4
16 5
25 61-100 0
17 1
18 100
10 5
15
83
20 40
60 80
100 120
Volta Region Greater Accra Region
Western Region All Regions
Response
R e
g ion
Purpose for forming fuelwood consumerfish smoker association
Support organization Community service
To build improved stoves for members
To bargain for lower prices Enhance access to funds
Welfare, eg funeral
Figure 74 Reasons for the formation of fish smokers association
4.5.3 Forms of fish smoked and fuel type used
Usually fresh catch and fresh frozen fish are smoked in most fishing communities in coastal Ghana especially during the lean season when fresh supplies are low. Overall, 94 of the fish
smoked is fresh catch from the sea particularly in Volta and Western Regions while is the remaining 6 is the frozen type, common smoked in Central and Greater Accra Regions
Figure 74. Variable quantities of frozen fish usually packed in paper cartons commonly called boxes are smoked per day. Eighty-six percent of the frozen fish smokers process 1-20
boxes per day Figure 75.
20 40
60 80
100 120
Volta Greater Accra
Central Western
All Regions
Fish smokers
R e
g io
n
Forms of fish smoked
Fresh catch from the sea Frozen fish
Figure 75 Proportion of fish smokers processing main forms of fish smoked
84
20 40
60 80
100 120
Greater Accra Central
Western All Regions
Fish smokers
Re gi
on
No. of boxes of frozen fish smoked per day
40 21-40
1--20
Figure 76 Distribution of quantities of frozen fish smoked per day
Usually a combination of fuel material comprising wood, coconut shell, and charcoal are used in smoking fish. However, 96 of the fish smokers use fuelwood only Figure 76.
Sugarcane husk, corn cobs andor other materials may be added to generate smoke in addition to the heat from the wood to cure the fish. Gas and cocoanut shell may alternatively be used
as the major fuel source particularly in the Volta, Greater Accra and Central Regions. Palm fronds, plastic sheet and saw dust may be used in the Western Region to compliment
fuelwood in smoking while grass, cassava stick and cassava peels are used in some cases in the Greater Accra Region Figure 77.
20 40
60 80
100 120
Volta Greater Accra
Central Western
All Regions
Fish smokers
Re gi
on
Main fuel sources used in fish smoking
Fuelwood and Coconut husk
Coconut shell Charcoal
Fuelwood
Figure 77 Fuel types used for fish smoking
85
10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 Volta
Greater Accra Central
Western All Regions
Fish smoker
Re gi
on
Other sources of fuel for fish smoking
Cassava peel Cassava stick
Saw dust RubberPlastic
Grass Palm fronds
Sugar cane and maize husk
Coconut shell Gas
Figure 78 Other fuels used in addition to wood for fish smoking
Not all fish smokers own the stoves they use for smoking fish Figure 78. However the majority of smokers comprising 96, own their stoves while 4 rent or use that belonging to
their family and friends. Most 78 overall of the fish smokers own 1-5 stoves per person Figure 79.
20 40
60 80
100 120
Volta Greater Accra
Central Western
All Regions
fish smokers R
e g
ion Ownership of fish smoking stoves
Yes No
Figure 79 Proportion of fish smokers owning stoves used for fish smoking
86
50 100
150 Volta
Greater Accra Central
Western All Regions
Fish smokers
R e
g ion
No. of fish smoking stoves owned
15 11--15
6--10 1--5
Figure 80 Distribution of the number of stoves owned by fish smokers
4.5.4 Fuelwood species used, reasons for preferences supply sources