Location

The Fisheries Commission of Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the Central Region has its Regional Headquarters precisely located behind the main Ministry of Food and Agriculture one-storey building near the Regional Headquarters of Electricity Company of Ghana at Ewim in Cape Coast.

Fish Production

The main activities are to:

• Collect, collate and compile data on fresh fish landings at 12 selected landing sites in the 8 Coastal Districts
• Monitor the movement of motor fishing vessels at 3 landing sites.
• Educate fishers in the 8 Coastal Districts on the Fisheries Laws and Regulations to ensure compliance.
• Render efficient and effective extension services to fish farmers in the 17 districts.
• Organize field days in seventeen districts for Fish Farmers.
• Facilitate the generation of revenue through the renewal of fishing licences and improved workshop services delivery.

The Fisheries Sector is very important, accounting for about 5% of Agricultural GDP.

In the Central Region there are two main types, (a) Marine and (b) Fresh Water (Aquaculture).

Marine Fisheries

The region has the widest continental shelf and the longest coastline of 150km spanning eight (8) coastal districts i.e. from the Gomoa East through Effutu Municipal, Gomoa West District, Mfantsiman East District, Mfantsiman Municipality, Abura Asebu Kwamankese District, Cape Coast Metropolis, and KEEA Municipality in the West.

There are 43 coastal towns and villages from Gomoa Nyanyano in the East to Kafodzidzi in the West with a total of 103 landing sites.

There are two types of Marine Fisheries namely Artisanal or Canoe Fisheries and Inshore Fisheries.

Canoe /Inshore Fisheries

Under canoe fisheries there are 46,513 artisanal fishermen i.e. canoe fishermen operating 4,675 canoes.

Under Inshore fisheries, there are over 1,500 inshore fishermen operating over 100 inshore Motor Fishing Vessels.    Mumford and Elmina are very important landing sites where boat building activities are prominent.

Together these Fishermen land about 36% of the Nation fish production.

Fish landed include some exportable species of commercial importance such as:

Lobsters, Squid and Octopus, Shrimps, Sole, Sea Bream, Mackerels, Grouper, Skipjack tuna, Yellow Fin tuna, Round and Flat Sardinellas and Sailfish

Fresh Water Fisheries (Aquaculture)

Aquaculture development for the production of fin fish and shellfish has a great potential.

The region has 219 fish farmers and 513 fish ponds with a total surface area covering 44.89ha spread through the 17 districts.   Tilapias, Catfishes and the Heterotis are the fish species cultured.  Production of fish from ponds is about 500 m/tonnes per year.

Three (3) fish hatcheries have been established for the production of Tilapia and Catfish fingerlings (i.e (i) at Okyereko in the Gomoa East District, (ii) Assin Foso in the Assin North Municipality and (iii) Assin Adiembra in the Assin South District).

The Central Regional Fish Farmers Association (CEREFFA), formed and inaugurated on the 27^th May, 2008 is operational.

Marine

371 inshore Fishermen (i.e. 113 marine mechanics, 115 coxswains and143 boatswains) have been trained in seamanship and navigation to improve on their competence to operate motor fishing vessels.

The Fish Production for the region from 2008 – 2010 is below:

Aquaculture

Pond Construction

99 fish ponds covering a total surface area of 8.94 hectares were constructed as below:

Stocking

310,880 fingerlings were stocked as below:

Harvesting

29,532kg of fish was harvested from ponds as below:

Site Inspections

81 site inspections for fish pond construction were carried out as below:

Fish Farm Visits

119 fish farm visits were carried out to offer technical advice as below:

Revenue

GH¢23,503.3 was generated as revenue as below: