“CaFGOAG welcomes the decision of the government of Ghana to extend the Inshore Exclusive Zone from six to 12 nautical miles for small-scale fishers, as stated by the minister for fisheries and aquaculture development at the just-ended United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.”

Nana Kweigyah, the National President of CaFGOAG, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that at a side event at the conference organised by the association and members of the Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition, the minister announced the extension of the IEZ and expressed support for fishers’ participation in monitoring of the IEZ.

He said this progressive step was a significant victory for Ghana’s small-scale fishers and a strong signal of the ministry’s commitment to protecting the livelihoods of coastal communities and restoring the country’s marine fisheries.

“This decision not only enhances access and safety for artisanal fishers but also strengthens efforts to combat illegal industrial fishing activities that have long undermined the artisanal fisheries sector,” he said.

According to him, it also represented a clear move toward equity, sustainability, and food security for millions of Ghanaians if the law was enforced and the zone managed effectively.

“CaFGOAG commends Hon. Emelia Arthur and her team at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for listening to the voices of small-scale fishers and taking action in the interest of the nation’s long-term marine health.”
He said the association calls for further declaration of the IEZ as an Artisanal Stewardship Area to be 100 per cent co-managed, in line with the declaration by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Ministers Responsible for Ocean, Inland Waters and Fisheries, made at the 8th Meeting held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in September, 2024.

He further called on development partners, non-governmental organisations and all stakeholders to support MoFA in the quest to enforce the IEZ and effectively monitor Ghana’s marine space against destructive fishing practices.