The Environment for Development (EfD) Ghana invited scientific and technical committee (STC) members of the Fisheries Commission of Ghana to a meeting to discuss emerging issues in the country’s capture fisheries sector. The meeting provided a timely avenue to re-echo evidence-led strategies for promoting the sustainability of fisheries resources and obtain stakeholders’ inputs for a new fisheries sector research by the center.
“Research-policy engagements like this are important to help ground research work in reality,” said EfD Ghana Director, Professor Wisdom Akpalu.
The meeting was part of sustained efforts by the center to promote the sound use and management of Ghana’s natural resources including energy, extractives, forests, and fisheries.
He gave a presentation on emerging issues in capture fisheries management in Ghana, notably the 2022 closed season in Ghana – when fishing activity is banned as a stock replenishing measure – and the learnings that could be drawn to inform future closed seasons. He also shared highlights of the project, Voting decision on fishing fuel subsidy reform in an overexploited fishery sector: the case of artisanal fishery in Ghana, recently approved for implementation by EfD Ghana.
There was an open discussion where participants shared comments and recommendations for strengthening the outcomes of the research project and EfD Ghana’s activities in Ghana.
Participants, comprising fisheries experts from various sectors of society brought together under the umbrella of the fisheries scientific and technical committee, took an active part in the meeting and the networking session that followed.
Galvanizing support
Wisdom Akpalu presented a brief overview of EfD Ghana and recalled some major achievements in research, policy, and media engagement by the center. He also touched on the 17th EfD Annual Meeting, which will be hosted by EfD Ghana from October 5 to 9, 2023, and called for continued support.
The meeting, which was held on January 31, 2023, at the School of Research and Graduate Studies of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), also featured representatives of the Center for Environmental Economics Research and Consultancy (CERAG) and the media.
Below are selected online media reports drawing on discussions at the meeting.
By Vicentia Quartey