Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Member of Parliament for Shama, has concluded a three-day working tour of the proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA) zone in Ghana’s Western Region.
The tour, which forms part of government’s final consultative efforts ahead of the official declaration of Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area, marks a historic milestone in marine conservation following over a decade of stakeholder engagement and planning.
Accompanied by officials from her ministry, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the MPA, and the Municipal Chief Executive for Ahanta West, Ebenezer Aidoo, Hon. Emelia Arthur visited more than 20 coastal communities within the Greater Cape Three Points and Ahanta West areas.
At the heart of the visit was a mission to engage directly with fisherfolk, gathering their views, clarifying intentions behind the MPA, and building local support for this vital resource management initiative. The community-level conversations formed an important part of ensuring grassroots participation in the process.
Local NGO, Hen Mpoano, a longstanding partner in MPA efforts, played a key role throughout the tour by facilitating dialogue and supporting community engagement.
Hon. Emelia Arthur also disclosed that her ministry is working on a new Legislative Instrument (LI) aimed at creating a fairer spatial distribution of sea access. The new LI will allow artisanal fishers to operate slightly farther offshore while pushing industrial vessels even further out; an effort designed to reduce conflict and promote sustainable fishing. The initiative, she noted, is intended to be a win-win for all players in the sector.
The tour was widely described as a success, with many coastal communities warmly welcoming the team and expressing strong support for the Marine Protected Area. Several also expressed appreciation for being excluded from this year’s closed season.
However, the Minister reminded artisanal fishers of the need to observe their traditional fishing holidays and refrain from engaging in Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
