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(SFMP) a Guide on Illegal Fishing Activities in Ghana April 2018

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(SFMP) a Guide on Illegal Fishing Activities in Ghana April 2018 SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PROJECT (SFMP) A Guide on Illegal Fishing Activities in Ghana April 2018 This publication is available electronically in the following locations: The Coastal Resources Center http://www.crc.uri.edu/projects_page/ghanasfmp/ Ghanalinks.org https://ghanalinks.org/elibrary search term: SFMP USAID Development Clearing House https://dec.usaid.gov/dec/content/search.aspx search term: Ghana SFMP For more information on the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project, contact: USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project Coastal Resources Center Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island 220 South Ferry Rd. Narragansett, RI 02882 USA Tel: 401-874-6224 Fax: 401-874-6920 Email: [email protected] Citation: Afoakwah, Richmond, Osei, Mensah Bonsu Dan and Effah, Elizabeth. (2018). A Guide on Illegal Fishing Activities in Ghana. USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project. Narragansett, RI: Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island. Prepared by the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. GH2014_SCI048_UCC 64 pp. Authority/Disclaimer: Prepared for USAID/Ghana under Cooperative Agreement (AID-641-A-15-00001), awarded on October 22, 2014 to the University of Rhode Island, and entitled the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP). This document is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The views expressed and opinions contained in this report are those of the SFMP team and are not intended as statements of policy of either USAID or the cooperating organizations. As such, the contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the SFMP team and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Cover photo: Fishermen with a petrol-powered generator on board a canoe for light fishing Photo credit: Abekhe Shofune Dorcas i Detailed Partner Contact Information: USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) 10 Obodai St., Mempeasem, East Legon, Accra, Ghana Maurice Knight Chief of Party [email protected] Kofi Agbogah Senior Fisheries Advisor [email protected] Nii Odenkey Abbey Communications Officer [email protected] Bakari Nyari Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist [email protected] Brian Crawford Project Manager, CRC [email protected] Ellis Ekekpi USAID AOR (acting) [email protected] Kofi.Agbogah [email protected] Resonance Global Stephen Kankam (formerly SSG Advisors) [email protected] 182 Main Street Hen Mpoano Burlington, VT 05401 38 J. Cross Cole St. Windy Ridge +1 (802) 735-1162 Takoradi, Ghana 233 312 020 701 Thomas Buck [email protected] Andre de Jager [email protected] Victoria C. Koomson SNV Netherlands Development Organisation [email protected] #161, 10 Maseru Road, CEWEFIA E. Legon, Accra, Ghana B342 Bronyibima Estate 233 30 701 2440 Elmina, Ghana 233 024 427 8377 Donkris Mevuta Kyei Yamoah Lydia Sasu [email protected] [email protected] Friends of the Nation DAA Parks and Gardens Darkuman Junction, Kaneshie Odokor Highway Adiembra-Sekondi, Ghana Accra, Ghana 233 312 046 180 233 302 315894 For additional information on partner activities: CRC/URI: http://www.crc.uri.edu CEWEFIA: http://cewefia.weebly.com/ DAA: http://womenthrive.org/development-action-association-daa Daasgift: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daasgift-Quality-Foundation- FNGO/135372649846101 Friends of the Nation: http://www.fonghana.org Hen Mpoano: http://www.henmpoano.org SNV: http://www.snvworld.org/en/countries/ghana Resonance Global: https://resonanceglobal.com/ ii ACRONYMS DDT: Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ECD: Electron Capture Detector EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization GC: Gas Chromatography GMA: Ghana Maritime Authority GRT: Gross Registered Tonnage IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature IUU: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated L.I: Legislative Instrument LC: Liquid Chromatography LoD: Limits of detection LoQ: Limits of quantitation MS: Mass Spectrometry NGO: Non-governmental organization QA: Quality Assurance QC: Quality Control QuEChERS: Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe RDT: Rapid Diagnostic Test SOP: Standard Operating Procedure SPE: Solid Phase Extraction UV/Vis: Ultraviolet/Visible detector ii FOREWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Illegal fishing takes place when vessels or fishers operate in violation of the fisheries laws of a country. Factors responsible for illegal fishing practices are similar to those behind other types of international environmental crime. That is, a high rate of economic return for those involved, and the failure of governments to regulate efficiently, or enforce national or international laws e.g. because of lack of technical capacity, or poor governance structures in place. Since no one is reporting catches of illegal fishers, their level of fishing cannot be accurately quantified. Therefore, reliable estimates of total extractions cannot be guaranteed and fish stock assessments are undermined. The practice weakens management measures directed at conserving fish stocks and ensuring their long-term sustainability for food security. The Government of Ghana is presently putting in place measures to reduce illegal fishing practices through several means. One of them is by strengthening the fisheries legislation by adopting new regulations and legislative reforms which will, among others, impose severe sanctions on illegal fishers and punish offenders. It also includes the introduction of new control measures on Ghana-flagged vessels that intend to fish in neighboring countries. The Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Division of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development implemented the vessel monitoring systems (VMS) to provide information on real time position of fishing vessels on the sea. Commercial fishing boats have been registered and placed into appropriate categories to ensure sustainable fishing in Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Ghana Navy as part of protecting the territorial integrity of the country has partnered with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to fight illegalities at sea particularly pair trawling; and also have helped to enforce the activities of the MCS. In recent times, a Marine Police Division has been created within the Ghana Police Service to help with fisheries law enforcement. Significant among the challenges faced by these institutions is the lack of capacity to enforce our fisheries laws. The problem with these efforts is that, they have largely targeted large scale fishers (local and foreign). Unfortunately, illegal fishing is very pervasive among artisanal fishers as well. The use of nets of wrong mesh sizes, dynamite, poisons and light for fishing have been the bane of artisanal fisheries in Ghana. Fishermen associations are being sensitized, on the effects of these practices on the sustenance of their livelihoods. This guide will serve the professional and practical needs of stakeholders i.e. fishers, processors, fisheries management committees, and fisheries officers in Ghana committed to addressing illegal fishing in Ghana. It is a product of scientific and traditional knowledge, written in a non-technical language for the benefit of users. We are thankful to the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project of the University of Rhode Island for funding this project. My appreciation also goes to the authors at the Department of Forensic Sciences and the Centre for Coastal Management, both of the University of Cape Coast for developing this guide. Denis W. Aheto (PhD) Associate Professor and Director Centre for Coastal Management University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACRONYMS................................................................................................................................. ii FOREWORD/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 2 THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN GHANA ..................................................................................... 3 Artisanal Canoe Sector .............................................................................................................. 3 Semi-Industrial Sector ............................................................................................................... 5 Industrial Sector ......................................................................................................................... 6 ILLEGAL FISHING METHODS IN GHANA ............................................................................. 7 Use of Chemicals (DDT and Carbide) and Explosives (Dynamite) in Fishing ......................... 8 Use of a Mixture of Powdered Detergent and Gari ................................................................
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