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Fishermen’s flags in Ghana

Buoy marker flags (?)

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Buoy marker flags (?)

I found this delightful photo in this mornings edition of the Cape Town Afrikaans daily Die Burger. The subtitle says that it is by AP of Ghanese fishermen off the coast of Tema near Accra in Ghana. I have no idea what the flags are all about and why their little fishing boat seems to be dressed overall.
A. P. Burgers, 28 February 2005

At the bow a ≅2:3 vertical tetraband of dark green, red, white and dark green (?); the same color order with subtle design changes (≅4:(2+1+1+2)) is hoisted at the rear. Both hoisted in high fixed masts. Not less than four identical flags hoisted at midship in apparently non-permanent masts, held by crewmen; squarish “Spanish” tribands of yellow, dark green and yellow. Near the bow, behind the four color flag, yet still a plain red flag and vertical triband, ≅2:3, of red, white and yellow.
António Martins, 01 March 2005

I would say that the vertical band next the pole is definitely black. It should therefore rather read black, red, white and dark green per pale from the pole. A rather attractive flag I thought.
A. P. Burgers, 01 March 2005

Ghana seems to be a paradise for folk vexillography! These designs, more sober than the well-known frankaa of the Asafo companies, show striking yet simple designs. I wonder what they mean…
António Martins, 01 March 2005

One possibility which occurs to me (but it’s impossible to tell from the photo) is that the flags amidships, if not the ones at bow and stern, might be on poles which are not fixed as part of the boat but are marker flags on buoys which will be left in the water to show where nets or pots have been dropped. Since I don’t know what sort of fishing these craft do, I’ve no idea whether this is a daft suggestion or not.
André Coutanche, 01 March 2005

These colorful distinct flags do indeed make perfect buoy markers (not necessarily for fishing nets), and this boat might have been in the process of deploying or retrieving them.
António Martins, 09 March 2005