The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA), in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission and with support from development partners, is intensifying efforts to establish Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Greater Cape Three Points area of the Western Region.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, is spearheading a ministerial engagement in 22 coastal communities within the Ahanta West Municipality as part of this process.
The MPA Committee’s previous technical consultations are being expanded upon by this tour. It seeks to strengthen local support, increase community knowledge, and create the last framework for the official MPA declaration.
During the interaction, the following communities were visited:
Aketakyi, Cape Three Points, Akwidaa, Achonwa, Upper and Lower Dixcove, Busua, Butre, Asemko, Ampatano, Punpuni, Aniahu, Adjua, Funko, New Amanful, Princess Town, Egyambra, Miemia, Awona Beach, and Ketakor.
During her engagements, Hon. Emelia Arthur reiterated the importance of MPAs in fisheries management and ocean protection.
“MPAs are proven tools for ecological recovery. Protecting critical habitats gives marine life the space to regenerate, ultimately benefiting our fishers, communities, and economy,” she said.
According to the Minister, the Greater Cape Three Points MPA would soon be formally declared after the stakeholder discussions were successfully concluded and the community’s support was overwhelming.
Recognizing the long-term ecological and economic benefits of the proposed MPAs, fishermen and traditional leaders backed the proposal with great vigor.
They did, however, also emphasize the necessity of complementary social development measures.
To facilitate the transition and guarantee the welfare of the community, they include upgrades to the road system, energy, health care, and education.
Hon. Arthur accepted these demands and gave the communities his word that their issues will be taken into consideration for the implementation plan as a whole and communicated to the appropriate government departments and development partners.
Strong legislative and policy foundations support the MPA project. The Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625), Section 91, gives the Minister in charge of fisheries the authority to declare marine reserves following stakeholder consultation.
Furthermore, MPAs are emphasized as a crucial step in restoring fish supplies and boosting marine biodiversity in the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2022) and the Marine Fisheries Management Plan (2022–2026).
This agenda is further supported by Ghana’s international commitments.
Source: newsthemegh.com