Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has called on the European Union (EU) to lift its two yellow-card sanctions on Ghana’s fisheries sector, arguing that recent reforms and a new fisheries law passed by Parliament have paved the way for greater accountability and sustainability in the industry.
Speaking to the media at the just-ended International Conference on Fisheries and Stability: A Global Issue? organized by the French Embassy in Accra, Ms. Arthur said the Inshore Exclusive Zone Artisanal Fishers, working under the new law, are implementing measures to address illegal practices along Ghana’s coast.
“Unemployment and illegal fishing have hurt fish stocks, livelihoods, and even our national security. With the law in place, offenders will not go scot-free. We have already prosecuted some perpetrators, and we will continue to enforce strict measures to sanitize the sector,” she emphasized.
The Minister also highlighted the role of international support in bolstering Ghana’s maritime security.
She praised the United Nations (UN) and the United States of America (USA) for donating patrol boats and equipping the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) of the Ghana Navy. These, she noted, have significantly improved surveillance of Ghana’s territorial waters and the wider Gulf of Guinea.
Ghana was issued two yellow cards by the EU in 2013 and 2021 for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices, which restricted its fish exports to the EU market. Ms. Arthur expressed optimism that with the reforms, “the EU has no option but to lift the ban and allow Ghana’s fisheries to thrive.”
In his welcome address, Mr. Rafael Pont, Director of Affairs at the French Embassy, said the conference aimed to highlight the link between fisheries, food security, and regional stability in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
It also sought to identify scientific, technological, and policy pathways for sustainable fisheries management and to strengthen cooperation among law enforcement agencies, fisheries authorities, and development partners.
The conference brought together experts and stakeholders from across the marine and fisheries sectors. Mrs. Kanyi Abigail of the FAO Sub-Regional Office for West Africa presented on Fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Executive Director of Ghana’s Fisheries Commission, Prof. Benjamin Betey Campion, delivered a case study on Ghana’s fisheries sector.
Associate Professor Edem Mahu of the University of Ghana spoke on Intensive Fishing and the Degradation of Marine Ecosystems, while Dr. Patrice Brehmer, a marine technology expert from the Research Institute for Development (IRD), Senegal, discussed sustainable fisheries technologies and innovations.
Experts unanimously stressed the urgent need for regional and global cooperation in addressing the challenges confronting the marine sector, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea.
By Margaret Esaah Boakye
Source: newsghana.com.gh
