Fisheries Commission -Greater Accra Region

GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL FC ORGANIZES STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON RECHARACTERISATION OF CANOES.

The Greater Accra Regional Fisheries Commission with support from the Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) organized a regional stakeholder engagement on canoe and inshore recharacterization draft guide on Monday, September 9th 2024 at the NAFAG hall in Tema.

The objective of the stakeholder engagement on re characterization was to discuss the draft guide with stakeholders, deliberate on it and record their input towards finalizing the guide.

The 2022 Ghana Marine Canoe Frame Survey showed that, canoe characterization hinges primarily on the type of gear employed with a notable lack of emphasis on canoe size. This has led fishers to construct canoes based on their financial capabilities without standardized guidelines.

There is therefore a need for re characterization, in order to develop a size-based characterization system for inshore vessels and canoes. Currently canoes are classified into two categories; small and large, however this binary classification does not accurately reflect the diverse range of canoe sizes and capacities.

In view of this, the Fisheries Commission with support from the Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) have developed a draft guide for re characterization to bridge this gap. The recharacterization is according to canoe sizes, horsepower, gear type and crew number, with canoes sizes categorized into five namely subsistence, small, medium, large and extra-large.

The recharacterization draft guide is to ensure order, coherence and help curb over capacity situation of the Ghanaian fisheries industry. It would also ensure improvement in fisheries management and conservation, enhance safety at sea, increase efficiency and productivity in the artisanal fishing industry, better targeted support and resources for fishermen and a more effective monitoring and enforcement of fishing regulations.

In a presentation on the key aspects of the guide, Madam Hannah Agyei -Boakye, the Regional Director of the Greater Accra Fisheries Commission noted that, there is a need for reclassification because the existing classification, fails to account for the varying capacities and fishing gear used by canoes, overlooks safety concerns as smaller canoes may be overloaded, limits targeted fisheries management and conservation efforts.

She walked participants who comprised of artisanal fishermen, Canoe owners and other stakeholders through the efforts towards recovery of the small pelagic, the need for re characterization, criteria for categorizing canoes and the implementation strategy on the re characterization.

Participants were given the opportunity to deliberate, ask questions and make contributions and suggestions towards the draft guide and make inputs before finalization.

This engagement will continue at the community level in the various zones of the Greater Accra Region.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Honourable Mavis Hawa Koomson distributed relief items to Fishers and Fish processors at the Tema Fishing Harbour today. These items were rice,cooking oil,tin tomatoes ,canned mackerel and basins. This initiative is to lessen the socio economic impact of the closed fishing season.

GFRA ORGANISES BI ANNUAL MEETING FOR GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL SPCC AND LaBECs.

The Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Fisheries Commission organized the first bi annual meeting for the Greater Accra Small Pelagic Co management Committee (SPCC) and the Landing Beach Enforcement Committees (LABECs) on March 28, 2024 at the NAFAG hall in Tema.

This bi annual meeting is designed to deepen understanding between the SPCC and the LABECs, develop modalities for effective and efficient communication and fortify collaboration between the regional and community committees.One of the key features of the meeting is its role as a conduit for the SPCC to gain firsthand insights into the implementation status of fisheries management measures at the community level.

Co management as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is the partnership arrangement between government and the local community of resource users, sometimes also connected with agents such as NGOs and research institutions, and other resource stakeholders, to share the responsibility and authority for the management of a resource.

Against this background, the SPCC and the LABECs support the development, implementation and enforcement of the fisheries management plan. The SPCC promotes inclusion, coordination and active participation of all stakeholders in the management of Ghana’s small pelagic stocks whiles the LABECs ensure active fisher participation and voluntary compliance at the community level.

Participants at the meeting discussed their observations about fisheries policies such as the Moratorium and its implementation, their collaborative efforts towards compliance and established touch points and responsibilities.
At the end of the meeting, members of the SPCC and the LABECs were able to come up with ways to establish effective communication channels and foster a collaborative environment geared towards effective fisheries resource management.

Participants included all members of the Greater Accra Regional SPCC, five representatives of LABECs from Azizanya, Prampram, Nungua and Bortianor. Present were the Greater Accra Regional Director of Fisheries Commission, Madam Hannah Agyei-Boagye and some Fisheries staff from Greater Accra.

GA SOUTH ZONE ENGAGES FISH FARMERS IN CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING.

The Ga South Zone of the Greater Accra Regional Fisheries Commission collaborated with the Department of Cooperatives in the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly, to build the capacity of small-scale fish farmers on March 19, 2024 at the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly.

The purpose of the training was to build the capacity of small-scale fish farmers from aquaculture establishments and other entrepreneurs in the aquaculture value chain on Group Dynamics to enhance food security and sustainable livelihoods.

The participants were encouraged to work together as a group to achieve a common focus of achieving the first result of the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan which is, Increased Commercial Farmed Fish Production and Jobs for the Youth and Women. This will culminate in achieving Sustainable Development Goal One ;No Poverty and Goal Two; Zero Hunger, leaving no one behind.

Participants through this training are to be part of improved collaboration in promoting best practices, sharing of resources and knowledge exchange, common market access, and capacity building.

Participants included the Municipal Chief Executive of Weija Gbawe, Honorable Michael Danquah, Fish Farmers from Ga South, Weija Gbawe, Ga West and Ga Central Municipalities, fish processors, some staff of the Department of Cooperatives, the Deputy Regional Director of the Greater Accra Fisheries Commission, Mrs. Abena Serwaa Asante and Fisheries officers of the Ga South and Ga West Zones of the Commission.

OFFICERS OF DANGME WEST ZONE HAND OVER SMART PHONES TO PRAMPRAM LABEC.

Fisheries Officers from the Dangme West zone handed over, three( 3) Infinix 8 smart phones to the Prampram Landing Beach Enforcement Committee (LaBEC) on 19th March,2024.

This is for the purpose of gathering evidence and reporting of illegal fishing activities in Prampram.The Landing Beach Enforcement Committee is expected to augment efforts by the Fisheries Commission in reducing the spate of illegal activities at the sea and the beaches and report such illegalities to the appropriate officials for action to be taken.

Bernard Ayitey Disney leader of the Prampram LaBEC expressed his appreciation for the gesture, as this would efficiently enhance their work. The Prampram LaBEC has from November 2023 to March 1st, 2024 recorded over ten (10) illegal fishing activities in Pampram.

Fisheries Officers from the LEKMA zone visited some fish processors at Teshie Sangonaa, Krobo, Lenshi and Gbugbla communities on March 14, 2024 to sensitise them on book keeping, proper fish handling and keeping their processing centres clean.

DANGME WEST FISHERIES OFFICERS ISSUE CANOE IDENTIFICATION CARDS AT ABIA LANDING BEACH.

Officers from the Fisheries Commission Head Office and the Dangme West Zone issued Canoe Identification Cards to canoe owners at Abia landing beach on March, 5th 2024.

This is to improve the monitoring and management of canoe fishing activities and regulate the supply of premix fuel.The identification cards will enable easy identification of canoes and their owners in order to help promote best sustainable fisheries practice. All registered canoe owners in the country are expected to receive their identification cards at the end of this exercise.

Canoe owners at the landing beach expressed their satisfaction with the issuance of identification cards to canoe owners which will aid them in their fishing activities, especially in the acquisition of pre mix fuel. They also extended their gratitude to the Fisheries Commission for this great initiative.

Abia is a fishing community in the Dangme West zone in the Ningo-Pampram district and the first landing beach in the district to pilot the Canoe Identification Card project. There are thirteen (13) landing beaches in the district and one hundred and thirty-five (135) fishermen in the community.

FISHERIES OFFICERS ISSUE CANOE IDENTIIFCATION CARDS AT KOKROBITE.

Officers from the Fisheries Commission Head Office and the Ga South Zone issued Canoe Identification Cards to canoe owners at the Kokrobite landing beach on Tuesday February, 27 2024.

This intiative was to improve the monitoring and management of canoe fishing activities in the area, ensure safety at sea and promote sustainable fisheries practices in Kokrobite.The issuance of these identification cards is part of efforts made to regulate access to fisheries resources like pre-mix fuel amongst others and manage the artisanal fishing sector.

Krokrobite is a fishing community located along the coast of Ghana, known for its vibrant artisanal fishing, with an estimated number of three Hundred and eighty-five (385) identified fishermen with fifty-five (55) registered canoes engaged in fishing activities.

NUNGUA LABEC PAYS COURTESY CALL ON KROWOR MCE

The Nungua Tsienaa Landing Beach Enforcement Committee (LaBEC) together with Fisheries officers from the LEKMA zone, paid a courtesy call on the Municipal Chief Executive Officer (MCE) and the Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) of the Krowor Municipal Assembly to formally introduce the LaBEC to the them on Tuesday February 27,2024.

Members of the Committee were encouraged to work hard to help combat fishing illegalities at the landing beach and to ensure the sustainability of the initiative. The MCE and MCD pledged their support to members of the LaBEC to help them in their cause.

The Nungua LaBEC was presented with phones to aid them in their work

MCE FOR KROWOR PRESENTS WIRE MESH TO SOME MEMBERS OF NAFPTA

Honourable Joshua Nii Bortey, the Municipal Chief Executive for Krowor presented fourteen (14) bundles of wire mesh to fourteen(14) members of the National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA) of Krowor on February 22,2024 to prevent fish post- harvest losses in the Krowor Municipality.
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AQUACULTURE PROMOTION IN AYAWASO CENTRAL

Zonal Fisheries Officers of Ayawaso were invited by the Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly to do a presentation on Aquaculture as part of the 2023 annual technical review by the Agric sub Committee on February 18, 2024.

After the presentation, the Municipal Assembly called on the Fisheries Officers to put some modalities in place, to train some selected vulnerable groups like the physically challenged on Fish Product Diversification and set up a tarpaulin tank for fish culture demonstration. The aim of this initiative is to provide employable skills to these physically challenged persons.

The Municipal Assembly requested the Fisheries Commission to organize frequent trainings, workshops and farm visits in the municipality, to ensure that Aquaculture is strengthened.