Ghana’s fisheries sector faces a potential ban from European Union (EU) markets if the country delays the passage of its revised Fisheries Bill, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Madam Emelia Arthur, has cautioned.
Speaking at a stakeholder validation meeting in Accra, the Minister revealed that Ghana remains under a yellow card warning from the EU for failing to adequately tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. She warned that further inaction could trigger a red card, effectively banning all fish exports to Europe.
“In my recent engagement with the EU Director General, it was made clear that if we don’t move fast, we risk being handed a red card,” Madam Arthur said. “This would completely ban us from exporting fish to EU markets.”
The revised Fisheries Bill is expected to address loopholes in current legislation, introduce stronger legal and policy frameworks, and promote sustainability, responsible harvesting, and climate change resilience. It also seeks to align Ghana’s fisheries management with international standards.
Among its key reforms, the bill proposes that membership of the Fisheries Commission board be determined by the Act itself to avoid bias in appointments. It also allows persons aggrieved by decisions of the board to seek redress in court. On marine resource management, the bill embraces a precautionary and ecosystem-based approach. It supports the development of local fishing enterprises across both industrial and inshore sectors and incorporates measures to ensure more scientifically trained personnel serve within the Fisheries Commission.
Madam Arthur emphasised the urgency of passing the bill, noting that the fisheries sector provides over 60% of the country’s animal protein needs and supports more than three million livelihoods. She urged Ghanaians to stop seeing the fisheries sector in silos and instead recognise its broader significance to food security, employment, exports, and the sustainability of Ghana’s blue economy. “The time to act is now,” she said.
The Ministry plans to report significant progress on these reforms at the upcoming United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13. Madam Arthur noted that the passage of the bill would not only help lift the EU’s yellow card but also reposition Ghana as a leader in sustainable fisheries management. “Let’s put emotions aside. This law is for the sector, for our economy, and for generations yet unborn. We must get it right,” she added.
The stakeholder meeting was chaired by Dr. Godfrey Seidu Jasaw, Member of Parliament for Wa East and Chair of Parliament’s Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs. He stressed the importance of participatory lawmaking and said it was necessary for the committee to engage with fisherfolk, processors, exporters, and other stakeholders in reviewing the bill clause by clause. Dr. Jasaw described the process as a shared responsibility to co-create a sustainable future for the industry.
Stakeholders who participated in the meeting called for additional provisions, including the creation of a separate fund for inland fishers, the formal recognition of veterinary services as a key authority on fish health, and a quota system favouring science-trained personnel within the Fisheries Commission.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning the fisheries and aquaculture sector as a sustainable, well-governed, and resilient contributor to national development, one that is driven by equity, innovation, strategic investment, and environmental stewardship.
