By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Accra, July 31, GNA – Marine conservation experts have called for a shift from strict conservation approaches towards the sustainable use of ocean resources, saying inclusive management is more likely to secure the support of all stakeholders.
They said marine space supports multiple activities simultaneously, including fishing, oil and gas exploration, shipping, recreation and tourism, making collaboration essential for sustainable resource management.
They made the call during a stakeholder meeting organised by the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) and the Fisheries Commission as part of the MarEcoPlan Project to discuss how to create and implement the framework in Ghana for the development of a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) framework.
Professor Benjamin Betey Campion, the Executive Director, Fisheries Commission, speaking during the engagement, said a strict conservation approach could alienate resource users and undermine conservation efforts.
“We have to sit down together and see how we can sustainably work within the same space,” he said.
Prof. Campion explained that unlike land, which is generally managed for a single dominant purpose, the ocean provides multiple resources and services that could be utilised at different depths and for different economic activities at the same time.
He observed that government institutions alone could not address all challenges facing the marine environment and therefore encouraged civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations and research institutions to complement the government’s efforts.
“There will always be gaps, even if all government institutions work perfectly together. NGOs and civil society have an important role in helping to bridge those gaps,” he noted.
The experts deliberated on sustainable options, proposing the exploration of sustainable financing mechanisms and payment for ecosystem services as a means of financing conservation and restoring degraded coastal ecosystems.
GNA
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
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