In order to achieve Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” — it is critical to improve fishers’ access to fisheries scientific information, according to the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG).
In a press release issued on the International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing (June 5), CaFGOAG called on all fishers to comply with the fisheries laws and regulations, and support efforts to address the widespread illegalities in artisanal fisheries.
In the release, Nana Kweigyah, President of CaFGOAG, pointed out that access to scientific data is equally imperative in the effective participation of fishers in the co-management structures, else the processes of the implementation of the co-management will continue to be top-down approach where the government will continue to push decisions over the co-management structures, as fishers become handicapped in the face of limited access to information to make informed decisions.
The 2022-2026 Marine Fisheries Management Plan (MFMP) is a good attempt by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) and the Fisheries Commission (FC) at rebuilding the declined marine fish stock, and it requires the efforts of all stakeholders in the implementation of the plan, CaFGOAG added. With the passage of the Co-management Policy in 2020 and the subsequent formation of Small Pelagics Co-management Committees (SPCCs) in 2023 by the Fisheries Commission and partners, decision-making and fishers’ participation in fisheries governance and management is expected to improve. According to the Fisheries Commission, the co-management policy, among other things, is to create and develop capacities of co-management units to empower the units to develop and implement management plans and enforce national fisheries laws.
However, CaFGOAG notes, this requires adequate preparations and capacity building for fishers to participate effectively.