By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, April 17, GNA – Nana Joojo Solomon, the President of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), has commended the government of Ghana for the declaration of the country’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Mr Solomon described the MPA declaration as a bold and necessary step to safeguard the future of the fisheries sector.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement in Tema, the NAFAG president said the initiative would play a critical role in addressing declining fish stocks and promoting sustainable fishing practices.
He explained that Ghana’s fisheries sector had long operated an open-access system, where individuals could enter the industry with minimal restrictions, contributing to overfishing and pressure on marine resources.
“In advanced jurisdictions, fishing is regulated through licensing systems and quotas to prevent overcapacity and protect marine ecosystems,” he said, adding that “these measures ensure that fishing activities do not exceed sustainable limits.”
He noted that the introduction of MPAs, alongside interventions such as the closed fishing season, was essential to protect fish spawning grounds and allow depleted stocks to recover.
According to him, although such measures might initially impose restrictions on fishing communities, they were necessary to secure long-term benefits for the industry and the millions of livelihoods it supports.
“With every intervention comes at some level of sacrifice, these are necessary steps to rebuild the sector and ensure its sustainability,” he stated.
The NAFAG president emphasised that the fisheries sector remained critical to national food security, providing between 60 and 70 per cent of the country’s animal protein and supporting over three million livelihoods.
He, however, called on the government to complement the MPA initiative with alternative livelihood programmes, particularly for fishers within affected coastal communities, to cushion them during the transition period.
He further urged stakeholders to support the implementation of the policy, stressing that collective responsibility would be key to achieving the intended outcomes.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade