Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: The “Saiko” Story

Transshipping of fish is banned in some West African countries, including Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea. In Ghana, the practice is authorized under special permission and can only occur in port under the supervision of an agent of the Fisheries Commission. In recent years, a new form of transhipment developed between industrial vessels and the artisanal canoes, with the canoes buying frozen by-catch from trawlers at sea. Although it is deemed illegal and prohibited under the Fisheries Act 625 of 2002 (Section 132), the business has grown due to its lucrative nature in many coastal communities of Ghana. This is known as ‘SAIKO’ fishing. It is widely practised in some landing sites in the Central, Western and Greater Accra Regions.
As one by-catch collector puts it, “with SAIKO, the harvest is always assured”. The problem of SAIKO is compounded by overfishing, poor public education, greed and weak fisheries law enforcement mechanisms. This brief proposes practical enforcement measures to reduce illegal fishing activities.

• Hen-Mpoano_IUU-ISSUE-BRIEF.pdf pdf (876kb) [ download ]