Sustainable fishing economy project launched

Sustainable fishing economy project launched

Mr. Justice Camiltus Mensah, the project manager_ Mpoano (inset) launching the sustainable oceans project. A two-year proj­ect to promote sustainable fishing economy in Ghana was launched in Accra on Tuesday.

The “Sustainable Oceans Project” it is aimed at building the capacities of fisher folks to participate in the manage­ment of resources they depend upon for their livelihoods.

It is being implemented by Mpoano project namely the Environmental Justice (EJ), Mpoano, Friends of the Nation, and Central and Western Fish­mongers Improvement Associa­tion (CEWEFIA).

The project, will also strengthen efforts to establish community-led management of estuarine resources and support fisher folk associations to advo­cate transparency and governance reforms in the sector, as well as supporting enforcement actions against illegal fishing.

Mr. Justice Camiltus Mensah, the project manager_ Mpoano said the fisheries sector played a vital role in national development, serving as a source of employment for an estimated number.

He revealed that preliminary re­sults from the 2022 Canoe Frame Survey conducted by the Fisher­ies Commission indicated that Fishery commu­nities across the four coastal regions relied heavily on Fisheries and related activities as their primary source of income and livelihood.

He explained that the small scale fisheries alone employed more fishermen with an additional individuals engaging in processing, distribution and marketing of fish across the country, of which many were women.

Project manager Mpoano Mr justice Camiltus, said throwing more light on the proj­ect, indicated that more women and Men would benefit from capacity building and training, while small scale fish­eries and traders along the coastal regions of Ghana would be trained in fisheries management.

“We will also influence nation­al policy implementation and enforcement of fisheries laws and regulations. The project will also help ensure the needs of small scale fishers are reflected in legal and regulatory review processes.”

“He said the technical input from national legal experts to support effective enforcement of fisheries laws and good governance will also be trained as part of this project,” he added.

Mr. Justice Camiltus his remarks said the planned objectives of addressing illegal fishing activities and improving income resilience of fishing communities while strengthening climate change adaptation and mitigation capac­ities in coastal areas were highly relevant to Ghana.

“He said, is geared towards addressing these chal­lenges and has become one of the priority areas of our development cooperation. As coastal countries, we have a responsibility to use the ocean’s resources in a sustainable and responsible manner so that we and the next generation can continue to benefit from it,” he added.

He mentioned that it was only by working together and investing in communities that a sustainable future for Ghana’s ocean economy could be achieved.

Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun Media and Top radio