Fishermen in Kambunli struggle as fish suffer mysterious infections

In Kambunli’s fishing community, an alarming crisis is unfolding as fishermen report an unprecedented surge in fish suffering from severe skin infections.

These infections, marked by red, swollen lesions that rapidly develop into gaping wounds, have made the fish unsellable and unfit for consumption.

This crisis has created severe economic strain for the local fishermen who rely on their river catches for income.

“The fish are now infected, with swollen red lesions that quickly turn into large, open wounds. We can’t sell them, and it’s affecting our business badly,” said Dauda Amadu Nda, a fisherman in the community.

The fishing community has raised urgent calls for an investigation into the cause of the fish infections. To investigate the situation further, a news team joined the fishermen of Kambunli on a fishing expedition on the Ebi River.

 The fishing methods in the river differ from sea fishing, with fishermen using wire mesh traps placed at strategic points in the water to catch various species of fish.

Ayuba, another fisherman, expressed concern: “We’ve never seen anything like this before. This isn’t normal. We’ve been fishing for years, and this is the first time we’re seeing fish so badly affected.”

Dr. Augustine Amuakon, the Ellembele District Health Director, in an interview with Joy News, warned of potential health risks linked to the fish infections.

“Yes, there’s likely to be health implications. We cannot be emphatic now because we don’t know the exact cause. When the team comes and takes samples of the fish and the water, they will know what is actually causing it—be it a chemical or whatever is causing it. So for now, we can predict that there will be health consequences, just that we can’t tell exactly what because we don’t know which chemical in the water is causing that,” Dr. Amuakon said.

Meanwhile, social media users have speculated that the ongoing illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the region might be the source of the fish afflictions.

Fishing activities in Kamgbunli, an Islamic community in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, have come to a standstill as fear grips fishermen over a mysterious disease affecting their recent catches.#OnuaTV #OnuaNews #OnuaOnline pic.twitter.com/mIcnITA2Sv— #OnuaTV (@OnuaTV) January 16, 2025

The post Fishermen in Kambunli struggle as fish suffer mysterious infections appeared first on MyNewsGh.