Ghana’s tuna industry is gradually collapsing under high operating costs, heavy taxes and inadequate government support, Vice Chairman of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), Richster Amarh Amarfio, has warned.
According to him, the sustained challenges facing operators have already wiped out the country’s pole-line fishing sub-sector, with no pole-line vessel currently operating in Ghana.
“We were collapsing and the factors that are collapsing us have so much eaten into our industry such that one sub-sector, which is the pole-line sector, is completely gone. We don’t have a single pole-line vessel in Ghana today,” Mr Amarfio noted in an interview with Citi.
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He said the cost of fuel remains one of the biggest pressures on tuna operators, as vessels receive no fuel support and have to purchase fuel at prevailing market prices.
Mr Amarfio explained that a vessel can consume about 270,000 litres of fuel, making fuel expenditure a major burden on operators.
Beyond fuel costs, he said fishing companies face taxes on fish stocks, spare parts and equipment despite the sector being classified under agriculture.
He also cited high port charges, dry-docking costs and expenses associated with maritime security services required for operations in international waters.
“Basically, it looks like we’ve been left on our own. Nobody actually cares what is happening within our industry and we are collapsing gradually,” he said.
Mr Amarfio is therefore calling for deliberate government intervention to protect the sector and unlock its economic potential.
He said the tuna industry generates more than US$200 million in foreign exchange annually making its survival important to Ghana’s economy.
He proposed the establishment of a dedicated development authority for the fisheries sector, similar to the specialised support provided to other major economic sectors.
Mr Amarfio also wants greater investment in tuna research and value addition, noting that the sector’s potential extends beyond the sale of fish to products such as fish oil, fish meal and other applications.
Another major concern, he said, is the shortage of trained Ghanaian crew, with the industry relying heavily on ageing Korean workers.
He called for investment in training and certification of Ghanaian captains and engineers, noting that the Regional Maritime University currently lacks the infrastructure and training vessel needed to adequately prepare personnel for the fishing industry.
“We can train our crew and certify them,” he said, stressing the need for a deliberate effort to develop local skills and rebuild the industry.
Source CNR
