By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Aburi, May 13, GNA – The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) has called for stronger collaboration among institutions and stakeholders to improve marine spatial planning and sustainable management of marine ecosystems in Ghana and the sub-region.
Dr Gaston Djihinto, the Secretary General of the FCWC, speaking at the opening of a National Workshop on Marine Protected Areas and Data Collection for Marine Spatial Planning in Ghana, stressed the importance of coordinated data sharing and regional cooperation in protecting marine and coastal resources.
Dr Djihinto emphasised that the success of the initiative would largely depend on effective collaboration among data-holding institutions, strong information-sharing mechanisms, and a collective commitment to regional coordination and solidarity.
The workshop brought together representatives from public and private institutions, technical experts, development partners, and environmental stakeholders to discuss strategies for preserving marine ecosystems and improving marine spatial planning systems.
The Secretary General expressed appreciation to the government of Ghana and partner institutions for their continued support towards the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources within the sub-region.
He also acknowledged the support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with whom the FCWC is implementing a Global Environment Facility-funded project titled “Using Marine Spatial Planning in the Gulf of Guinea to Implement Payments for Ecosystem Services and Nature-Based Coastal Solutions (MarEcoPlan)”.
According to him, the workshop was timely due to increasing challenges associated with the preservation of marine and coastal ecosystems and the sustainable use of marine spaces.
He explained that discussions during the workshop would focus not only on marine protected areas but also on identifying, validating, and harmonising coastal and marine ecosystem data needed to establish a reliable database for effective marine spatial planning.
“The discussions and technical deliberations planned over the coming days will provide an opportunity not only to address issues relating to marine protected areas but also to identify, validate and harmonise coastal and marine ecosystem data essential for the establishment of a reliable database to support marine spatial planning,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would generate meaningful recommendations and produce a practical roadmap to guide future marine spatial planning activities in Ghana and the Gulf of Guinea region.
He urged participants to actively contribute to the discussions to ensure productive outcomes capable of supporting sustainable marine governance and environmental protection efforts.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
[email protected]