The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, has affirmed Ghana’s commitment to ocean sustainability and responsible fisheries governance.
She made these remarks at the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC), which is scheduled from the 28th to 30th of April 2025 in Busan, South Korea.
The Minister stated Africa’s united front to eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing which is a silent crisis threatening marine ecosystems, coastal livelihoods and food security across the continent.
The 10th anniversary edition of the conference is under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Action” and features “Ocean Digital” as a special agenda topic, focusing on digital innovations to support sustainable ocean governance.
As part of her engagements, the Minister held bilateral meetings with international development partners to review ongoing partnerships and explore new opportunities to advance Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. She met with former U.S. Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry to discuss small-scale fisheries and support for fisheries and aquaculture programs in Ghana.
She emphasised the country’s efforts to undertake regulatory and structural reforms while recognising challenges in addressing emerging issues such as depleting stocks, logistics, human resources for fisheries enforcement, deficits in fisheries infrastructure, and untapped potential in aquaculture development.
“The government is seeking strategic partnerships in fisheries conservation strategies, such as marine protected areas, the blue economy, enforcement logistics, and post-harvest management from relevant partners to complement government efforts for effective fisheries management.
This is essential for protecting the livelihoods of fishers, ensuring food security, and achieving sustainable fisheries management,” she said.
Mr. Kerry, the pioneer in establishing the conference, shared his vision for a united African action to combat IUU fishing on the continent, address climate change and collaborate with fisheries associations to engage local fishers in promoting sustainable fisheries management.
The Our Ocean Conference is recognised as a high-level international conference attended by more than 1,000 leaders and experts in the field of oceans, including heads of state and governments from more than 100 nations and representatives of 400 international organisations and non-profit organisations.
The conference highlights six key actionable areas: marine pollution, marine protected areas, climate change, sustainable fisheries, sustainable blue economies and marine security.
