The Sharks and Rays Conservation Group, an advocacy organisation, has sensitised fisher folks in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region on the need to conserve the ‘hammerhead' shark species.
The hammerhead sharks play a key role in the marine ecosystem but have experienced more than 80% depletion over the past few decades globally.
The sensitisation aimed to draw the attention of fishermen to the effects of the depletion of the sharks and other species in the sea and find workable solutions to illegal fishing practices causing fish extinction.
Under the theme: “Conservation of Hammerhead Sharks in Ghana,” the event drew about 80 participants from Azizanya and its environs and was sponsored by the Rufford Foundation and the Conservation Leadership Programme.
Ms Tabitha Adinorkwor Alimo, the leader of the group, highlighted the importance of hammerhead sharks in coastal marine ecosystems, emphasizing their role in ensuring species diversity and maintaining balance with their competitors.
She warned that the disappearance of hammerhead sharks could lead to the extinction of other sharks and rays, resulting in mass shortages of food and other marine resources.
Research conducted in the Ada District revealed that migrant fishers were influencing the catching of sharks, using modernised nets to support illegal activities, Ms Alimo noted. She appealed to all fishermen to avoid activities that affect the serenity of the sea to preserve endangered fishes and other aquatic creatures.
Mr Prince Dankwa, the assistant manager of the Fisheries Commission, Ada East, stressed the critical role of sharks in the marine system and called for intensified education of local fishermen to promote conservation efforts. He highlighted the necessity of collective efforts to preserve sharks for the benefit of Ghanaians.
The programme was organised in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Fisheries Commission, Iroko Consult, Oasis Conservancy, BirdLife International, and Fauna and Flora International.