Association commends MoFAD’s declaration to join Fisheries Transparency Initiative

The Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) has commended the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development’s (MoFAD) intention for Ghana to join the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FITI).

Nana Kweigyah, the National President of CaFGOAG, gave the commendation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in reaction to Ghana’s intentions to join FITI.

He said the intention to join FITI was highly commendable as transparency in governance was much more needed now than before to stem the current fisheries decline.

“More particularly, enhanced transparency is key in combating illegal fishing and ensuring sustainable fisheries management with broad participation of stakeholders in fisheries management and governance,” he stated.

Ghana’s joining FITI, he noted, would promote the participation of local fisheries actors, particularly artisanal fishers, in informed decision-making towards effective implementation of Ghana’s fisheries co-management policy.

Nana Kweigyah indicated that without transparency and accountable leadership, the co-management policy would not achieve its goals, hence the need for stakeholders to support MoFAD in this regard.

“While commending MoFAD for this step, we urge the ministry to quicken the process towards full implementation of FITI and not to stop at this public declaration or unduly delay the implementation process,” the CaFGOAG national president said.

A copy of the letter of intention to join FITI dated July 5, 2024, and signed by Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson, the MoFAD Minister, seen by the GNA, said Ghana had extensive and valuable marine fisheries resources that were exploited by both industrial and artisanal fishers, indicating that the sector contributed to food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation, wealth creation, and job creation for an estimated three million people engaged in the fisheries and aquaculture value chain.

“Marine fisheries contribute about 70 percent of the annual total fish production, which translates into significant income and foreign exchange towards Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), economic development, and the sustainable livelihoods of vulnerable coastal communities,” it stated, adding that “the marine fisheries sub-sector in Ghana is confronted with emerging challenges such as illegal fishing, depleting fish stocks, overcapacity and overfishing, marine pollution, and the adverse impact of climate change.”

It said the government was pursuing several regulatory and structural reforms to improve the current state of fisheries productivity, as well as collaborating with partners to address lapses in fisheries enforcement operations through the adoption of information technologies to ensure transparency and compliance with fisheries laws and regulations by operators to aid effective decision-making for policy formulation and implementation.

The MoFAD intent letter recalled Ghana’s participation in the FITI Taking Stock Transparency Assessment in 2022, which report indicated that Ghana is not data deficient, identifying, however, that there were some lapses in the framework to make valuable fisheries management information publicly accessible, especially on-line platforms for the usage of information users.

“The Ministry is pleased to inform you of its intention to join FITI and welcomes the partnership between our Ministry and FITI to work with relevant government regulatory institutions, industry, and Fisheries Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to improve accessibility and transparency in marine fisheries management in accordance with the FITI standard,” it stated.

MoFAD added that “Ghana’s partnership with FITI demonstrates our commitment towards good governance for responsible fisheries as well as to open government, as manifested in our long-standing membership with the Open Government Partnership (OGP).”