Hon. Emelia Arthur (MP), Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, has advocated for greater international collaboration in fisheries management to protect regional peace, economic growth, and food security.
She made her plea at the International Conference on Fisheries and Stability: A Global Issue? opening session. today at Accra’s Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.
To discuss the relationship between international stability and fisheries sustainability, the conference brought together development partners, scientists, industry stakeholders, civil society actors, and politicians from all around the world.
In her keynote address, Hon. Arthur emphasised the vital role that fisheries play in sustaining livelihoods and nutrition around the world, pointing out that more than three billion people rely on fish for more than 20% of their animal protein consumption.
Fish is the main source of protein for almost 200 million people in West Africa alone. She underlined that the industry continues to be a vital component of Ghana’s economy, supporting about three million people.
Citing the FAO’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 study, which found that 35% of fish stocks are currently overexploited—more than three times the percentage recorded in 1974—the Minister did, however, warn that the world fisheries industry is under tremendous strain.
She cautioned that issues including marine pollution, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and climate change pose a threat to national stability as well as livelihoods in West Africa.
According to her, up to 40% of all catches in the area come from IUU fishing alone, which costs economies more than USD 2.3 billion a year.
According to Hon. Arthur, “fisheries are no longer just an ecological issue; they are a matter of security.”
She noted that organised crime, including as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and piracy, is increasingly using fishing boats and ocean areas for illegal activities that undermine governance and destabilise communities.
The Minister outlined Ghana’s reaction, pointing to the recent enactment of the Fisheries (Port State Measures) Regulations, 2024 (L.I. 2490), and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), as significant measures towards enhancing governance.
Ghana’s adoption of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, which addresses detrimental subsidies that lead to overfishing, was another point she made.
Regarding technology and law enforcement, Hon. Arthur declared that Ghana is moving forward with plans to acquire more patrol boats in collaboration with the Navy and Marine Police, as well as to install electronic monitoring systems on all industrial trawl vessels.
However, she emphasised that the success of legislation and enforcement will depend on the voluntary compliance of operators in both the industrial and artisanal subsectors.
Ghana is still involved in regional and international efforts through the African Union’s 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), and multilateral frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).
“These frameworks reflect a simple truth: only through solidarity and cooperation can we safeguard fisheries as a source of food, livelihoods, and stability for future generations,” she said.
The Minister encouraged attendees to make the most of the Accra conference by strengthening relationships, expanding communication, and creating practical plans to link sustainable fishing to peace and development in the area.
It is anticipated that the three-day conference will end with a communiqué detailing cooperative agreements and doable actions to tackle fisheries issues in the Gulf of Guinea and elsewhere.
Source: newsthemegh.com