Stakeholder engagement held on fisheries governance implications of foreign-owned vessels
A stakeholder coverage engagement on fisheries governance implications of foreign-owned industrial vessels working within the area of Ghana has been held to advertise transparency, accountability and native capability.
The discussions, studying, alternate of concepts and proposals of the engagement are a part of a mission, titled “Promoting Transparency, Accountability and Local Capacity to Address the Destabilizing Impacts of Foreign-Owned Distant Water Fishing Vessels in the Gulf of Guinea and the Waters of Mauritania.”
The focus nations for the mission are Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone and with funding from the Department of State, U.S. Embassy Ghana.
Dr Kamal-Deen Ali of the Centre for Maritime Law and Security (CEMLAWS) Africa, who can be one of many Project Leads, mentioned the engagement targeted on draft reviews on Ghana’s Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Capability & Functionality, and Industrial Fishing Sector Repositioning for Greater National/Regional Ownership.
The draft reviews, which have been performed by CEMLAWS Africa, Centre for Coastal Management (CCM) and Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) and in collaboration with consultants and trade stakeholders, additionally sought to form coverage instructions to boost the federal government’s efforts in sustainable fisheries administration and governance.
It is reported that over 90 per cent of registered fishing vessels in African nations are foreign-owned or have international helpful pursuits and fly the flags of nations between Gabon and Morocco, with about 60 per cent of them registered in Ghana, Mauritania and Senegal.
Dr Ali mentioned the distant water fishing vessels (DWFVs), although might have authorized authorization to fish within the area, they profit considerably from destabilizing actions, together with exploitation in coastal nations with restricted institutional and human capability.
“The destabilizing impacts of these foreign-owned vessels in the Gulf of Guinea, include depleting fish stocks, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in some cases and dislocation of the livelihoods of artisanal fishers and others in the value chain,” he mentioned.
Dr Ali mentioned on the common, West Africa alone loses about 790,000 tons of fish yearly to IUU fishing by international and home industrial fishing vessels. This has resulted in nice earnings losses and financial impacts estimating over $2 billion yearly.
“Aside employment and growth, food security is important. Though a lot has been done in fisheries governance, a lot more is still required. It is clear per our discussion that increased Budgetary allocation for fisheries monitoring and enforcement is needed,” he mentioned.
Madam Justine King, Regional Environment Officer, Embassy of the United States, Ghana, mentioned the partnership between Ghana and USA within the mission was to advertise native capability.
“We must encourage communities to actively monitor and report illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, create awareness of the harmful impacts. We must also continue to develop robust legal framework to strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance,” she mentioned.
The engagement was additionally attended by Madam Marian Kpakpah, Chief Director, Ministry of Fisheries and Aqua Culture; Mr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, Deputy Ranking Member, Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee in Parliament and different trade gamers.
Source: GNA
