Omanghana
Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister Emelia Arthur has called on the Ghana Science Association and researchers to work with the government on practical solutions to protect Ghana’s waters and sustain fishing livelihoods.
Speaking at the association’s 20th Biennial Workshop in Cape Coast on September 23, Arthur urged scientists to help develop digital tools and research based systems that policymakers can use to manage the country’s fisheries and wider blue economy.
The appeal comes amid pressure on Ghana’s coastal ecosystems from illegal mining pollution, destructive fishing and climate change. The Ghana Science Association says some important fish stocks are severely overexploited, while mining related contamination has been recorded in the Pra and Ankobra estuaries. These threats affect both food supplies and the incomes of coastal communities.
The workshop brought together scientists, policymakers, industry representatives and fishing communities to consider how research could support better fisheries management. Its stated goals include developing recommendations on coastal pollution and illegal mining, strengthening aquaculture, and identifying ways to use marine science and digital technology in monitoring and decision making.
Arthur’s call also comes as the ministry works on a broader framework for managing Ghana’s marine, coastal and inland waters. Stakeholders have reviewed a draft Blue Economy Commission Bill, which is intended to establish a central body to coordinate policy and protect aquatic ecosystems. The proposed commission still depends on the bill’s passage into law. mofaq.gov.gh
For the minister, the immediate challenge is to turn scientific findings into tools that can guide action on the water and along the coast, while protecting the people whose livelihoods depend on those resources.
Source: Omanghana
