A watsa fishing canoe at the Cape Coast Landing Beach, popularly known as Abrofo Mpoano was found completely destroyed in the early hours of Wednesday, August 6, 2025, sparking renewed calls for improved safety practices within Ghana’s artisanal fishing sector.
According to an eyewitness, the canoe suffered extensive structural damage, leaving it beyond any possibility of repair. “The entire structure is broken, and there is nothing that can be done to fix it,” he reported.
The cause of the destruction is attributed to unfavorable weather conditions. The incident has intensified ongoing discussions about safety lapses and equipment vulnerabilities among artisanal fishers. Stakeholders have consistently raised concerns over inadequate maintenance, unsafe anchorage conditions, and the growing risks faced by small-scale fishing vessels.
“This is one of the safety issues we always talk about in the artisanal fishing sector, matters that need to be taken seriously,” the eyewitness added, noting that several other canoes which were anchored nearby the historic Cape Coast Castle could suffer same fate.
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