PRESS RELEASE: 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, Honourable Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture
Development, Hon. 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 fiveday short course would be effective in bringing the needed impact to feed into the
sustainable use and conservation of coastal resources.
End.