Ghana has announced that it will ban bottom trawling and all industrial fishing from its waters, while also doubling the size of its inshore exclusion zone (IEZ).
Emilia Arthur, Ghana‘s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, made the announcement at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, which concludes today.
‘A vote of confidence’
Commenting on the decision, Nana Kweigyah, a Transform Bottom Trawling coalition member representative and National President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG), said, “I applaud the Minister’s interest in supporting the development of artisanal fisheries. For years, fishers have raised the issue about industrial vessels coming too close to the shore, so this is a vote of confidence for our role in fisheries management.”
Kweigyah added that the extension of the IEZ from six to 12 nautical miles means that it is now “critical” that said IEZ is managed effectively, to support local communities.
“Declines in fish catch caused by industrial fishing can weaken local communities’ motivation to engage in conservation practices,” he said. “We propose that canoes are given priority access, and these areas are 100% co-managed, in order to concurrently address widespread illegalities in the artisanal fisheries sector.”
Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition
The Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition, convened by Blue Ventures, unites fishing communities across the globe against severe forms of industrial fishing. In Ghana, civil society groups were instrumental in advocating for the IEZ expansion.
The government of Ghana has also submitted a bill to parliament which requires the beneficial ownership of industrial fishing boats to be checked before licenses are granted.
“As the movement against destructive industrial fishing builds, I hope other nations will now follow suit and take heed of the effective management solutions led by small-scale fishers across the continent’s coastlines,” added Ebrima Saidy, CEO of Blue Ventures.
“Small-scale fishers are not an afterthought. Our work now as a global community is to redress the historical power imbalances in ocean governance. We must continue on this positive path, and centre coastal communities in the governance of their waters.” Read more here.
