Moses Anim, the Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture has charged traders of tuna in the country to reject fish harvest from illegal means.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially inaugurate the Tuna Merchants Association of Ghana on Friday October 29, 2021, Moses Anim remarked that the traders have key role to play in government’s quest to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing the country.
He emphasized that the fight against IUU hinges on cooperation from stakeholders in the fishing industry of which TUMASGHA is key a member.
“The importance of the fishing sector cannot be overemphasized. Production, processing and marketing and the employment it generates thereof.The love for fish and the employment it generates has culminated in the fish accounting for 60% of our animal protein intake.
“Our cardinal advice to the association is to support us eliminate IUU fishing. We want you to support us elminate IUU. Live fishing, the use of dynamite, DDT and any other thing that brings challenges and diffficultites to this industry. We plead with you that whiles you form an association you say not any illegally catched fish,” he said.
Moses Anim expressed the hope the association will stand the test of time and advance the collective interest of tuna merchants in the country.
He counselled members of the association against resorting to means other than laid down protocol to resolve differences.
He also advised the leadership of the association to lead an exemplary life and be accountable and transparent to their members.
The President of TUMASGHA on her part explained that the association seeks to improve the lives of tuna merchants in the country and ensure best practices with regards to sale and harvesting of tuna.
She stated that TUMASGHA will form an official mouthpiece for tuna merchants in the country and ensure that serve as platform for addressing the concerns of members.
She capped off her speech with a firm assurance that ‘TUMASGHA has come to stay” much to the excitement of the members.
“It is also our mission to enhance the lives of the members of the Association through the application of best business practices thereby presenting members with the opportunity to grow their individual business capacities, collectively.
“And our vision is to be the preferred industry player sharing expertise and delivering value on time to complement the individual efforts of members thereby creating a platform for growth and development.
In addition, the association seeks to complement the work of the Tuna Merchants Association of Ghana (Tumasgha) in numbers and in high places on pertinent issues relating to the livelihood of the tuna merchants.
Tumasgha’s strategy is to basically, improve the lives of all members and further create business avenues for traders.
“Before I conclude, let me use this opportunity to state emphatically that Tumasgha has come to stay, and it is never in our interest to be an impediment to any entity or individual within this industry, either foreign or local as being peddled by some people,’ she said.