Credit: Grace Charway (Ghana)
The two photos show a model of capture fisheries in the Northern part of Ghana, Upper West Region. Fisheries activities are usually done in dams/reservoirs meant for irrigation and water points for livestock. According to the government policy, 5% of all irrigable dams are allocated to fisheries activities. The Fisheries Commission stocks these dams with fingerlings for the communities and sometimes provides training to the community on the act of fishing targeting that fish could serve as an alternate source of livelihood and nutrition in the lean season.
According to the Fishery Act 625, no one is permitted to use a seine net in any inland water body except officials from the Commission, and because the communities use small net for harvesting, every year they invite officers from the commission to assist them harvest their dams and that the catch is usually high which they share according to the chiefs and elders in the community for local consumption or sale to a minimal extent.
Usually fishery officers assist in what is known by community harvest as this one that is carried out in the 10-ha surface area Vieri dam in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The fishes caught in Vieri dam include Alestes dentex, Hemichromis faciatus, Clarias gariepinus, Heterotis niloticus, Tilapia zilli, Mormyrus macrophthalmus, Distichodus engycephalus, and Lates niloticus.
Note: We decided not to watermark the photos in order not to upset its clarity. However, we trust you will notify us if you wish to use a picture or more. This is expected and will be appreciated.
