Fisheries Minister pushes fisheries reset as Ghana gains international transparency recognition

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, is pressing for stronger enforcement, greater transparency and investment in coastal livelihoods, as the government seeks to address illegal fishing and rebuild confidence in Ghana’s fisheries governance.

The minister has presented the government’s legal reforms, expanded protection for artisanal fishers and marine conservation programme as central to an agenda she says must protect food security and create economic opportunities.

“Fish is far more than a staple on Ghanaian dinner plates; it is the bedrock of national food security and coastal livelihood,” she said during the 37th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Committee on Fisheries in Rome in September.

Her international advocacy comes alongside changes at home, including the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), and Ghana’s admission as a Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) Implementing Country.

The Minister told the Rome meeting that Ghana’s reforms included stronger maritime enforcement, dedicated aquaculture zones and an extension of the Inshore Exclusion Zone from six to 12 nautical miles to protect artisanal fishing operations from industrial trawlers.

She also called for international partnerships that connect scientific knowledge to investment, technology and opportunities for fishing communities. The Minister identifies its 10-year Blue Economy Action Plan as part of that effort.

International recognition brings new obligations

Ghana’s transparency reforms received external recognition in August when the FiTI International Board approved the country’s application for Implementing Country status.

In her announcement, FiTI described the application process as “professional, participatory, and inclusive” and acknowledged progress in publishing fisheries information through the Ministry’s new Fisheries Information System.

The recognition followed an earlier FiTI assessment which found that much of the information needed for open fisheries management remained inaccessible.

However, the designation marks a stage in implementation rather than full compliance with the FiTI Standard. Ghana must publish its first FiTI report by August 2027, covering the 2026 calendar year, with further annual reporting to follow.

Conservation tied to coastal livelihoods

Emelia Arthur has also placed community interests at the centre of the government’s marine conservation message.

At the declaration of the Greater Cape Three Points Marine Protected Area in April, she described the initiative as “the beginning of a new social contract between people and the sea.”

Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, formally declared the protected area at a ceremony in Busua.

The minister credited government agencies, researchers, fisheries associations, civil society and development partners for the work behind the designation. She specifically acknowledged Hen Mpoano’s contribution to technical work and community engagement.

According to the Ministry, the protected area is intended to support fish-stock recovery, restore damaged ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities. These remain objectives against which implementation will need to be assessed.

EU warning remains an enforcement test

Despite the reforms, she has acknowledged that Ghana still has compliance concerns to resolve.

During a September meeting with the French Ambassador to Ghana, Diarra Dime-Labille, the Minister said the government was strengthening its regulatory framework, monitoring systems and enforcement mechanisms as it worked towards securing the removal of the European Union’s yellow card.

She identified the Fisheries Enforcement Unit as important to surveillance and action against illegal fishing.

Emelia Arthur also linked the government’s plans for marine fisheries, inland fisheries and aquaculture to increased production, employment and food security, while seeking cooperation with France on research, investment and fisheries security.

The EU’s yellow card is a formal warning under its system for combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It is distinct from a red card and the associated restrictions on access to the European market.

For the minister, the political task now extends beyond securing recognition for new laws and commitments. Her stated agenda requires enforcement at sea, accessible public information and investment that reaches the communities whose livelihoods depend on the sector.

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