Dead Dolphins washed ashore in Ghana raise concerns

Fish washed ashore is not new in the world.

However, the bizarre nature of a pod of dolphins mysteriously appearing at the shores of Brawire in the Nzema East municipality of the Western Region, Accra, 48 hours after dead fishes were washed ashore in the Ghanaian capital has raised eyebrows.

The food and drugs authority, scientist and other research fellows have now switched into action in an effort to unearth the cause of the bizarre occurrences.

 Dr Edem Mahu is a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Ghana.

Something that scientists are also interested in is that is there any anoxia or low oxygen? We can also think about physical disturbances such as the kind of techniques that some of our fishermen use in fishing, Dr Mahu says.

Many residents without caution, rushed for the marine mammals for domestic and commercial use.

Ghanaian authorities are now calling on the public to be circumspect in patronage of fish  pending the outcome of the findings.

"Once you are not able to establish the cause of death of an animal or in this case fish, it’s not advisable for you to consume it at all" says Rhoda Ewurabena Appiah Head of Communications and Public Education FDA 

Eating marine mammals in itself is illegal as they are internationally protected organism according to Dr Isaac Okyere- a Fisheries scientist and senior lecturer at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and centre for coastal management University of Cape Coast.  

Investigations have taken place over the last year after similar mass dolphin deaths along other parts of the African coast. 

In February 111 dolphins were found dead off the coast of Mozambique. Last year, 52 dead dolphins were found on the coast of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.

An investigation by Mauritius's fisheries ministry put the main cause of death down to a phenomenon known as barotrauma, an abrupt change in pressure which can be caused by military sonar, an underwater earthquake, explosives or a volcanic eruption.