Business News of Sunday, 1 February 2026Source: GNAA study conducted by a research team from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, has revealed that Ghana’s closed fishing season policy is imposing greater hardship on coastal fishers than the intended benefits the measure seeks to achieve. According to the findings, many fishers believe the closed season has negatively affected their livelihoods, increasing household pressures—particularly on women—and contributing to stress, low school attendance, and a rise in social vices within fishing communities. She said the study showed that the closed fishing season had created significant livelihood challenges for fishing households, especially those without alternative sources of income. William Agbenu, Volta Regional Director of Fisheries, encouraged fishers to collectively reject illegal fishing practices, which continue to threaten sustainable fisheries. He said that although concerns about the closed season policy were valid, combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing required the full cooperation of all stakeholders.

Source: GhanaWeb February 01, 2026 16:05 UTC