The USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project being implemented by CRC and its partners in Ghana was extended in March of 2019 for an additional year to continue work on assisting the Government of Ghana and key stakeholders in the process of rebuilding the collapsed small pelagic fishery. This fishery is the mainstay of the artisanal canoe fishery that directly and indirectly supports the livelihoods of 10% of Ghana’s population and is known as “the people’s fish” as it is a cheap and abundant supply of high quality protein in the diet of Ghanaians. Fish makes up an enormous 60% of the animal protein in the local diet. As part of the process of rebuilding we have supported a number of fisheries reform efforts.
The cabinet has authorized the signing of a co-management policy by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development. The policy provides a framework for establishing co-management committees for major stocks of fish in marine, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems. These committees require widespread representation of fisheries stakeholders including women, men and traditional leaders. It allows for administrative decentralization to regional director for establishing and approving co-management plans for small scale fisheries systems in estuarine and freshwater systems. The policy also allows for the granting of use rights to legal fisherfolk groups or associations. Plans are being made for a signing ceremony that would also include approval of three draft co-management plans that are already being implemented. The final version can be found here:
https://www.crc.uri.edu/download/GH2014_POL061_MOFAD_CRC.pdf
The project is also working with the Fisheries Commission on a canoe registry which will be needed as a precursor to controlling entry of additional canoes into the fishery, already 14,000 strong and thousands more than the number needed for sustained yields.
SFMP has been busy documenting the lessons learned from the project in a series of essays on key themes the project addressed including institutional strengthening, post-harvest improvements, science for management, child labor and trafficking, among others. The 2 volume series can be found here:
https://www.crc.uri.edu/download/GH2014_PGM335_CRC_FIN508.pdf
https://www.crc.uri.edu/download/GH2014_PGM336_CRC_FIN508.pdf
As COVID-19 sweeps the globe and now in Ghana, SFMP has also been considering ways the project, its final stretch, may be able to assist Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and its Fisheries Commission stop the spread and save lives in the tightly crowded fishing landing sites and fish markets along the coast.