The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, has formally opened the 3rd Conference on Fisheries and Coastal Environment (CFCE) currently being held in Accra. The Conference is on the theme, “Inclusive Blue Economy in Africa: Towards Sustainable Transformation of the Marine Environment.”
The 3-day event is being organized by the Centre for Coastal Management (CCM) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and partnered by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences-UCC with the support of the Government of Ghana.
The Conference is also enjoying the benevolence of other strategic partners including the World Bank, USAID, West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme, and Feed the Future among a host of others.
The conference, which is also a part of the celebration of the CCM-UCC's tenth anniversary, aims to strengthen policy connections and give academics, journalists, and think tanks a platform to express their opinions on Ghana's agenda for sustainable coastal development and fishing.
This event emphasizes the blue economy with an opportunity given to industry and projects within the sector to showcase key products and milestones as well as emerging technologies for the management of fisheries and coastal resources.
H.E. Dr Bawumia, Vice President of Ghana, opening the Conference
Opening the Conference, the Vice President indicated government’s commitment to ensuring sustainable ocean management in the country. Among the measures, he mentioned the fight being waged against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in Ghana’s waters, serious regulation of fishing license for foreign fishing vessels and the digitalization of access to premix fuel for artisanal fishing which aims at reducing issues such as hoarding.
Dr. Bawumia also mentioned government’s investment in modern fishing technology, aquaculture and coastal infrastructure creating jobs and protecting the marine environment. These interventions, he noted, are geared towards the protecting the livelihoods of fisherfolks in the country since they are integral aspects of the blue economy.
Call for a comprehensive approach to sustain Ghana’s Blue Economy
Prof Mrs Boohene delivering the welcome address
Welcoming participants to the Conference on behalf of the Management of UCC, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mrs Rosemond Boohene, noted that the Conference focusing on fostering strong policy connections among researchers, industry professionals, media and other stakeholders with the shared objective of advancing Ghana’s blue economy agenda is highly important.
She indicated that with the enormous contribution of the blue economy to the general economic gains of not only Ghana but also other countries within the African regional bloc and the world at large, a concerted collaboration among all stakeholders within the fisheries and coastal sector is highly crucial.
Prof. Boohene mentioned that the blue economy in Ghana and Africa is fraught with both challenges and opportunities. She identified overfishing as one of the most pressing challenges confronting the sector. She said this practice depletes fish stock, damages the marine ecosystem and jeopardises the livelihoods of countless coastal communities. Climate change and coastal pollution, according to her, have notched the challenges higher and with the interconnectivity of these threats, she advocated for a comprehensive action to be taken.
Conference Objectives
Prof. Aheto speaking at the Conference
The Director of the CCM-UCC, Prof. Denis Aheto, outlined the objectives of the Conference as engaging stakeholders to discuss prospects for maximizing the benefits of fisheries resources within the context of the blue economy.
To explore options for reducing ocean conflicts, identify opportunities to improve security at sea and ports with the emergence of maritime crime, he added that the conference provided a platform to discuss and identify solutions to address marine pollution within the African region and explore livelihood opportunities along the fishery value chain.
He noted that achieving these objectives was hinged on the right human capacity.
“The future of Africa’s blue economy has been developed by the frameworks within the context of the AU strategy. Unfortunately, if we are not able to put in place the needed human capacity, it is going to be a problem in achieving the goals of the (AU) strategy.
He also called for the dedication of funding towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)14 which directs attention to ocean conservation and sustainability. Prof. Aheto said the lack of available funding and inequitable sharing of conservation costs make the achievement of SDG 14 difficult. He said the SDG14 is largely under-prioritised receiving a low level of concessional finance for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
Sustaining Africa’s Blue Economy Possible
Prof. Rashid Sumaila, Keynoter for the opening session of the Conference
The Keynoter for the opening session of the Conference, Prof. Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia, Canada addressed the theme, “Inclusive Blue Economy in Africa: Towards Sustainable Transformation and Resilience of the Marine Environment.”
He indicated that Africans should make a conscious effort to work towards protecting natural resources including water bodies to ensure their sustainability and reduce pollution.
According to Prof. Sumaila, with 70% of the earth's cover being water bodies, human existence is dependent on their sustainable use. He believes this is possible with the wise use of these resources which is highly possible through policy, regulation among others.
A section of some Participants
The Conference, which is scheduled to end on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, will have keynote addresses, panel discussions as well as breakout sessions to discuss selected thematic areas geared toward achieving a resilient freshwater and marine environment.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC