By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Accra, May 8, GNA—The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Fisheries Commission have been urged to develop a new National Plan of Action to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (NPOA-IUU) to strengthen Ghana’s fight against illegal fishing activities.
The proposed action plan is expected to align with the Food and Agriculture Organization’s International Plan of Action on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU) as well as the regional framework of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
Mr Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, Executive Director of HELP Foundation Africa, made the call during discussions on combating IUU fishing at the Maritime Action Platform Seminar.
He described IUU fishing as one of the greatest threats to marine biodiversity, food security, coastal livelihoods, and economic sustainability in Ghana and across the West African region.
According to him, the challenge is driven by weak enforcement systems, corruption, inadequate monitoring and surveillance, harmful fishing practices, and limited regional coordination.
Mr Yamoah said Ghana remains under a European Union “yellow card” warning due to concerns over illegal fishing, including illegal transshipment known locally as “Saiko,” weak monitoring systems, poor enforcement of fisheries laws, lack of transparency in vessel ownership, and inadequate sanctions.
He explained that Ghana successfully had an earlier yellow card lifted in 2015 after reforms but received another warning in 2021 over renewed governance and enforcement concerns.
He stressed that revising the National Plan of Action against IUU fishing is critical to restoring confidence in fisheries governance and supporting efforts to remove the yellow card.
“The main objective of the NPOA-IUU is to identify gaps in Ghana’s fisheries governance and enforcement systems and provide practical actions to combat illegal fishing,” he stated.
He said the revised plan would strengthen enforcement and sanctions, improve monitoring, control and surveillance systems, enhance vessel registration and licensing, and promote regional intelligence sharing.
He added that it would also support Ghana’s compliance with international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the FAO International Plan of Action on IUU Fishing.
Mr Yamoah further called for increased investment in patrol vessels, surveillance systems, fisheries observers, and prosecution mechanisms to improve enforcement across Ghana’s maritime domain.
He noted that stronger collaboration among coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea is essential to address the transnational nature of illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA