Fisheries Minister Calls for Safer Fish Processing to Protect Public Health
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has called for improved fish handling and processing practices to reduce post-harvest losses, protect public health and strengthen food security.
She said Ghana needed to pay greater attention to what happened to fish after it was landed, stressing that proper handling, storage and processing were essential to ensuring that fish reaching consumers was safe and of good quality.
Mrs Arthur made the call at the opening of the 2026 Central Regional Fish Fair at the forecourt of Adisadel College Park in Cape Coast on Friday.
The two-day fair, held on the theme, “Securing the Food Chain: Safe Fish, Certified Processors and Informed Consumers for a Healthy Nation,” brought together traditional authorities, fishermen, fish processors, traders, development partners and government agencies to promote safe fish handling and sustainable fishing practices.
The Minister said fish remained an important source of food, nutrition and income for many Ghanaians, making it necessary to strengthen every stage of the fisheries value chain, from harvesting to processing and marketing.
She noted that poor handling and inadequate storage resulted in significant post-harvest losses, affecting the incomes of fishers and processors while limiting the availability of quality fish for consumers.
Mrs Arthur called for increased investment in improved fish-smoking technology, cold-chain storage facilities and accessible financing, particularly for women who played a major role in fish processing and trading.
She said supporting women in the sector with appropriate equipment and financial resources would not only reduce losses but also improve their businesses and livelihoods.
The Minister also stressed the need to enforce food safety standards and improve hygiene at landing beaches and fish-processing sites.
She said the Ministry would work with the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, environmental health officers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to promote cleaner processing environments and encourage compliance with approved standards.
Mrs Arthur cautioned fish processors against the use of illegal, unsafe and unauthorised processing methods, warning that such practices could expose consumers to health risks.
She said the drive to increase income from fish processing should not come at the expense of public health, urging industry players to adopt safer methods that protect consumers and improve the quality of locally processed fish.
The Central Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Mr Emmanuel Dovlo, urged fish processors to embrace food safety certification, describing it as an opportunity to improve product quality, protect consumers and gain access to more profitable markets.
He said certification should be viewed as a means of strengthening businesses rather than an additional burden on processors.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
