Fisheries Without Borders (FWB) has organised a capacity-building workshop for fishermen, fish processors, community leaders and marine scientists as part of efforts to strengthen
The report indicates that fisheries Without Borders (FWB) has organised a capacity-building workshop for fishermen, fish processors, community leaders and marine scientists as part of efforts to strengthen sustainable fisheries management in the face of climate change.
It further notes that the workshop, held at the Conference Hall of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), formed part of a regional initiative involving Ghana, Nigeria and Benin aimed at addressing declining fish stocks in the Gulf of Guinea through collaborative fisheries management.
Participants from coastal fishing communities across Ghana took part in training sessions, group discussions and practical exercises on fisheries co-management, an approach that promotes collaboration between fishing communities and government in the management of marine resources.
Ghana’s fisheries sector continues to face significant pressure, with fish catches declining sharply over the past three decades. Marine landings have dropped from about 900,000 tonnes to approximately 400,000 tonnes, raising concerns about food security and livelihoods.
Fish remains Ghana’s most important source of animal protein, contributing about 60 per cent of protein intake in many households, while the fisheries value chain supports more than two million people involved in harvesting, processing and distribution.
However, stakeholders say many fishing communities remain excluded from key governance decisions that determine how marine resources are managed.
Ghana Country Lead for the Fisheries Without Borders project and faculty member at the University of Ghana’s Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Professor F.K.E. Nunoo, stated the situation requires a new approach that places communities at the centre of fisheries management.
He explained that introducing co-management systems alone would not guarantee improved food security, livelihoods or sustainability unless communities understand their roles in making such systems effective.
“We need communities to understand what makes it work, and what makes it fail,” he said.
One of the facilitators, Dr Angela Lamptey, Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana and Chairperson of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Fisheries Commission, took participants through areas including fisheries co-management, ethical principles, rights-based approaches, climate resilience and community governance.
Dr Lamptey emphasised that fisheries regulations are more effective when fishers participate in developing them, adding that women and young people must also be represented in decision-making processes.
She noted that traditional knowledge from experienced fishers and community elders remains valuable and should complement scientific approaches in fisheries management.
According to her, co-management systems built on accountability, shared responsibility and community participation offer one of the most effective ways of addressing the overexploitation of shared marine resources.
The workshop also examined the impact of climate change on fisheries, with experts noting that the ocean has absorbed more than 90 per cent of excess heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions since industrialisation, creating significant consequences for marine ecosystems.
