By Gifty Amofa
Accra, Nov. 21, GNA – Ghana on Tuesday joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Fisheries Day with a call on stakeholders to implement the Sector’s Co-management policy.
A press statement issued by the Canoe and Fishing Day Gear Owners’ Association (CaFGOAG) Secretariat and copied the Ghana News Agency, said, the Co-management policy would ensure that both fishers and government agencies, managing fisheries would collaborate and share some responsibility and authority.
“Fisheries Co-management is now widely considered to be the most appropriate, fair, and effective form of governance for small-scale fisheries.”
It said, “With the formation of Regional Small Pelagic Co-management Committees (SPCCs) in Ghana and the subsequent ongoing capacity development programmes for members of the co-management committees, stakeholders can envision the process as one to reverse the declining artisanal fisheries, and to transform Ghana’s artisanal fisheries into engine of inclusion, sustainability and prosperity for fishing communities.”
“Towards a successful implementation of Ghana’s fisheries co-management, CaFGOAG has identified among others the responsibilities of creating strong awareness among fishers of the co-management process, improving fishers’ knowledge of the co-management process, as well as mobilizing and organizing fishers for collective actions”.
On World Fisheries Day, CaFGOAG has chosen the theme, “Mobilizing fishers’ support for Ghana’s fisheries co-management,” explaining that the theme highlighted the significance of co-management and the need for fishers to embrace and own the process.
“CaFGOAG is celebrating the day across the four coastal regions of Ghana, by bringing together fishers to discuss how to contribute to successful implementation of Ghana’s Fisheries Co-management Policy,” the statement said.
It said a monthly pilot programme of co-management meetings at selected communities; Abutiakope, Teshie, Apam and Shama, would be launched at the celebration.
This initiative is aimed at getting fishers to know who represent them at the co-management committees and promoting regular fishers’ interactions with SPCC members.
GNA