Commodore Tim Appiah, Flag Officer, Commanding
the Western Naval Command, on Monday, advised fishermen to abide by the regulation, which requires them not to fish within a radius of 500 metres around the Jubilee oil field rigs.
He gave the advice, when speaking to the press, after a meeting with members with Canoe Fishermen Association at Sekondi.
Commodore Appiah said fishermen are persistently flouting this regulation by fishing under the oil rigs and the anchor of FPSO Kwame
Nkrumah at night, because the lights on the facilities attract fishes to the area, mostly tuna.
He said fishermen find it easier catching tuna there, but the tuna and other kinds of fishes could be found in other locations besides the areas around the oil facilities.
Commodore Appiah said some fishermen have taken to wearing naval uniforms to enable them to get closer to the oil facilities.
He said military uniforms are not to be worn by civilians and warned those doing so that they could be charged with impersonation when caught.
Commodore Appiah said fishermen have adopted the tactic of playing hide and seek with the Naval Task Force when it goes to the Jubilee Fields to
check their activities by clandestinely moving from one facility to another.
He said the Navy is mandated to protect lives and property, including the oil facilities at sea, and would step up efforts to put a stop to the
practice.
Commodore Appiah said the oil facilities belonged to the people and not the government, and that, revenue from oil and gas would be used for the development of the country.
Fishermen, therefore, should desist from illegally fishing close to oil facilities to enable the country to derive the maximum benefit from the oil and gas find.