Ghana Fishing Stock Threatened

Since 2006 has contributed less than 3 percent to the country’s economy

By Benson Afful

Ghana’s fish stock fast depleting and likely collapse if measures not put in place. Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Naa Afoley Quaye, revealed.

There has not been bumper harvest since the late ’90s; a situation, she said, might collapse the country’s fishing industry if proper measure not taken to reverse the situation. The minister disclosed this when she officially declared open the closed season of the Densu Estuary for Oyster pickers in the Ga South Municipal Assembly of the Greater Accra Region. The five-month-long closed season has boosted Oyster yields. She cited it as a good initiative which needs to be carried out to the marine fishing.

She said the government is committed to make fishing a viable economic venture to attract many people in the coastal areas. The minister congratulated the Oyster Pickers Association and the USAID for taking steps to protect Ghana’s Oyster stock. Under its Sustainable Fisheries Management Project, the USAID and its partners used the Densu Estuary closed season as one of the three pilot projects in Ghana to demonstrate the viability of coastal fisheries collaborative management.

Pickers For Fruitful Closed Season

Oysters Rebound During Closed Season

From Sea To Table

James G. Lykos, USAID/ Ghana Economic Growth Acting Team Leader, said the successful closed season proves that when the responsibility for decision-making is shared between government, citizens and other stakeholders, resource management is more effective and sustainable.

The fishing sub sector since 2006 has contributed less than 3 percent to the country’s economy, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) data.

In 2006 the industry contributed 2.5 percent to the economy, then dropped to 2.3 percent in 2007. It, however, increased to 2.7 percent in 2008. Sadly, after 2008 its contribution has never passed 2.7 percent. It contributed 2.5 and 2.3 percent to GDP in 2009 and 2010 respectively. It, however, tumbled to 1.7 percent to GDP in 2011 and has since never recorded any figure above that.

Currently, its contribution to GDP is at a paltry 1.2 percent, from the 1.1 percent recorded in 2016, clearly reflecting a sector that is in terrible distress.