National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), Nana Joojo Solomon, has called on fishers and other stakeholders to support the implementation of Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA), describing it as necessary for the long-term survival of the fisheries sector.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement in Tema, Nana Solomon said the declaration of the MPA was a major step towards reversing the decline in fish stocks and protecting the country’s marine ecosystem.
He explained that Ghana’s fisheries sector had for many years operated under an open-access system, where people could enter the industry with few restrictions, resulting in overfishing and increased pressure on marine resources.
According to him, many developed countries regulate fishing activities through licences and quotas to control the number of fishers and ensure that harvesting remains within sustainable levels.
Nana Solomon said measures such as Marine Protected Areas and the annual closed fishing season were important because they protected breeding grounds and allowed fish stocks to recover.
He acknowledged that some fishing communities could face temporary difficulties due to the restrictions, but stressed that such sacrifices were necessary to secure the future of the industry.
“With every intervention comes some level of sacrifice, but these are necessary steps to rebuild the sector and ensure its sustainability,” he said.
The NAFAG president noted that the fisheries sector remained vital to Ghana’s food security, supplying between 60 and 70 per cent of the country’s animal protein needs and supporting more than three million livelihoods.
He therefore urged the government to introduce alternative livelihood programmes for fishers in affected coastal communities to help them adjust during the transition period.
Nana Solomon also appealed to all stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring the success of the policy, saying collective support would be crucial to achieving lasting results.
