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To monitor and track the activities of trawl vessels at sea, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development introduced an Electronic Monitoring System (EMS). The EMS utilizes onboard video cameras, GPS, and sensors to automatically record and verify fishing operations on fishing vessels.
At a press conference in Accra, Ghana, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Mavis Hawa Koomson announced the news. Aside from enhancing compliance with gear deployment, transshipment at sea, and verification of bycatch (including endangered species like marine turtles and mammals), the EMS data will also collect biological data for fisheries management and stock assessment.
Mrs. Koomson elaborated that the EMS cameras operate 24/7, capturing video footage that can document activities such as trawlers discarding fish at sea. The Electronic Monitoring System will be piloted for a year, and the outcomes will be carefully assessed to inform future decisions and strategies.
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Source: Omanghana.com
