By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Tema, April 07, GNA — The Marine SafeNet Ghana Project is emerging as a critical intervention aimed at strengthening distress response systems and improving safety in Ghana’s small-scale fisheries sector.
The initiative, led by Friends of the Nation in partnership with ProSea Marine Education and funded by the International Fund for Fishing Safety, adopts a bottom-up approach through education, training, and technology-driven safety systems.
Mr Phillip Prah, the Project Officer at Friends of the Nation, said the project sought to reduce fatalities at sea by equipping fishers with knowledge, tools and communication systems to respond effectively to emergencies.
“Every day, thousands of fishers go to sea not only for business but also for survival, yet the same sea they depend on also claims lives,” he said.
Citing global data, he noted that about 32,000 fishers die annually worldwide, with many lacking basic safety training.
He said this at a media engagement powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) on the theme: “Marine SafeNet Ghana Project: Strengthening Distress Response and Safety Systems in Ghana’s Fisheries Sector”.
He explained that the project focused on three key pillars: protecting fishers, safeguarding their families, and preserving the marine environment through awareness creation, reporting of incidents and deployment of safety technologies.
He said a key innovation under the project was a solar-powered distress alert device installed on fishing canoes, which enabled fishers to send SOS signals, track locations, access weather updates, and communicate with emergency contacts even beyond mobile network coverage.
Again, the device featured automatic capsize detection, geofencing alerts, and canoe-to-canoe emergency communication, allowing nearby vessels to respond quickly to distress calls.
Mr Prah said pilot testing in selected coastal communities had demonstrated the system’s effectiveness in improving response time and enhancing fisher confidence.
He stated that the project had so far deployed devices on 10 canoes across coastal regions, with plans to scale up nationwide.
However, affordability remained a concern, as each unit cost between 7,000 and 7,500 Ghana cedis, with a monthly subscription fee of approximately GH¢200.
Mr Prah emphasised the need for government support, stakeholder collaboration, and flexible payment models to ensure wider adoption.
“If you think safety is expensive, try an accident,” he said, urging fishers to prioritise safety investments.
The project aligned with provisions in Ghana’s fisheries laws, which mandated safety equipment, communication systems and monitoring devices as part of licensing requirements.
Mr Simon Okoe Kwao, a fisherman from the Lekpongunor Fishing Community, Ningo-Prampram District, shared a practical experience where the device helped detect a stranded canoe and facilitated a timely rescue.
He said the technology had changed perceptions among fishers, several of whom initially doubted its usefulness but later embraced it after witnessing its impact.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo