Our Coast (Hen Mpoano), a publication about coastal areas in the Western Region, was launched at Takoradi on Thursday.
It was prepared by the Coastal Resources Centre (CRC), Ghana, University of Rhode Island and Sustaina-Metrix with sponsorship from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Rev Fr Francis Grant, Secretary to the Most Reverend Martin Darko, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi -Takoradi, launched the publication.
Mr. Mark Fenn, Chief Executive of CRC, said the publication formed part of the “Hen Mpoano Initiative”aimed at setting the stage for an integrated approach to the governance of coastal districts and inshore fishing grounds of the Western Region.
He said “Hen Mpoano” was an expression of ecosystem approach to coastal governance being implemented in partnership with the Friends of the Nation.
Mr. Fenn said the publication highlighted the challenges confronting coastal areas and the way forward.
Mr. Emmanuel Ohene Marfo, the Deputy Regional
Fisheries Officer, said the region contributes a third of the annual catch of about 300,000 tonnes of the country’s fish.
He said a third of fish consumed annually are imported and the catching, smoking and distribution of small pelagics are the major economic activities in coastal communities in the region.
Mr. Marfo said these opportunities are now being threatened by the crisis in the country’s fisheries and as pointed out in the publication, major stocks were being over fished and there were competition between artisanal, semi-
industrial and industrial fishermen.
He said catch per unit effort was dwindling and there was decline in stocks and this required management of the open access and the fishermen operating it.
Awulae Annor Adjaye 111, Omanhene of Western Nzema Traditional Area, commended the Hen Mpoano Initiative for drawing attention to governance issues in coastal areas.
He called on stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources for the present and future generations.
Awulae Annor Adjaye spoke about the dangers of coastal erosion and rising sea levels to human habitats and ecological life along the coast and called for timely interventions to avert future disasters.
Nana Bozza IX, Chief of Akatakyie, called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to stop constructing public places of convenience along beaches because it encourages people to defecate on the beaches.
He said the assemblies along the coast should also find alternative means of disposing of human excreta instead of dumping them into the sea.
Nana Bozza said the assemblies have no excuse for doing so because assemblies in the hinterlands had means of disposing of human excreta.