The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has
committed 5.5 million dollars to the implementation of a five-year capacity
building programme for fisheries and coastal management project in Ghana.
The project, which
is being implemented by the University of Cape Coast’s (UCC) Department of
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS) started in October 2014, and would end in
October 2019.
It is to improve
upon the infrastructure for training and research on fisheries and coastal
management, increase scientific knowledge for policy and technical advisory
services, increase marine and coastal research and resource management, and to
establish a centre for coastal management, among others.
Launching the project,
in Cape Coast, on Tuesday, Madam Sherry Ayittey, the Minister of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development, stated that fishing was a major economic activity in
Ghana, therefore, fish capture,
processing, marketing and associated services constituted a significant source
of livelihood.
She said the
fisheries sector generated more than one billion in revenue annually, and
accounted for at least 4.5 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
while 210,000 people worked directly with the sector.
The Minister pointed
out that in spite of the contribution of the fisheries sector to Ghana’s socio
–economic development, the sector had not been able to achieve its full
potential, with poverty still high in many fishing communities.
She noted that the country was faced with
growing challenges in managing its coastal and marine resources, particularly,
with the continuous decline in fish stock and production in the last few
decades, as well as the degradation of the coastal environment.
She said statistics
indicated that there was a 30 per cent decline in fish harvest from 492,776
metric tonnes, in 1999, to 333,524 metric tonnes in 2011; noting that in 2012,
the overall annual fish requirement was estimated at 968,000 metric tonnes.
However, only about
455, 700 metric tonnes from the marine and inland fisheries were realized,
thereby, creating a deficit of more than 500,000 metric tonnes.
Ms Ayittey said the
over-capitalization of the fishing industry, the use of unsustainable fishing
methods and pollution of coastal ecosystems, coupled with pollution,
deforestation, mining, damming and irrigation threatened biodiversity across
the country.
She attributed the
situation to a deficiency in monitoring and enforcement of laws and
regulations, lack of education, training, research, data gathering and
analysis; as well as low investments in capacity building for effective natural
resource management.
Ms Ayittey also
stated that the poor incentive packages for staff and students to conduct
research and undertake extension outreach activities were part of the factors
militating against effective fisheries and coastal management efforts.
She said in this
regard, the Government in collaboration with the West Africa Regional Fisheries
Programme, was rolling out programmes to cover areas such as improving
fisheries governance, and sustainable fisheries management, reducing illegal
fishing activities, developing a sustainable aquaculture industry and improving
value addition.
Professor, Paul
Nelson Buah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of UCC, in his welcoming address commended
USAID for allocating funds for the project.
He said to further
advance the goals of the project, the UCC recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the University of Rhode Island (URI) to collaborate in areas
bordering on fisheries and coastal management.
He said since the
establishment of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS) in
2002, UCC had turned out about 200 graduates in fisheries and related sciences
who were engaged in various sectors of the economy.
He expressed the
hope that the project’s outcome would strengthen the Science Information base
for sustainable fisheries and coastal management, and improve the livelihoods
of coastal communities.
Mr Peter Trenchard,
the Director of Economic Growth at the USAID Office in Ghana, tasked students
to conduct research that would reverse the decline of the fish stocks and
marine resources, and develop pragmatic programmes that would enhance coastal
management.
He called for the
inclusion of all stakeholders in the implementation of the project and asked
that the research findings be made available to all.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta
II, Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, who presided, called on the Ministry
of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to ensure that all polices and laws
governing the marine sector were enforced and implemented to sustain the
sector.
The occasion was
used to inaugurate an ultra-modern Fisheries and Coastal Research Laboratory at
the UCC.
Credit:GNA
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