Professor Joseph Aggrey-Fynn, a fisheries expert at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has called for the scrapping of all minor landing beaches in Ghana, warning that weak monitoring systems are undermining the economic value of the fisheries sector.
Delivering his inaugural lecture in Cape Coast, Prof Aggrey-Fynn said the country’s more than 300 landing sites along a coastline of about 550 kilometres were economically inefficient and making enforcement of fisheries regulations nearly impossible.
He explained that the proliferation of landing beaches had created gaps in monitoring, allowing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to thrive.
According to him, this is not only an environmental issue but a major economic risk to the livelihoods of thousands of people and the sustainability of the country’s fishing industry.
“In some countries, before a boat leaves for fishing, the gear and equipment are inspected. That makes it impossible to go to sea with illegal tools. But in places like Elmina, you can clearly see fishermen carrying generators, which means they are going for light fishing,” he said.
Prof Aggrey-Fynn, who also serves as Founding Director of the university’s Institute for Oil and Gas, noted that weak regulation was accelerating the depletion of fish stocks, particularly the economically important sardinella species, which supports a large share of small-scale fishing and fish processing businesses.
He stressed that the fisheries sector remains a critical contributor to Ghana’s economy, accounting for about 1.2 percent of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while providing roughly 60 percent of the country’s annual protein needs.
However, he warned that declining fish stocks could weaken food security, increase fish import bills and reduce income for coastal communities if urgent reforms are not implemented.
According to him, consolidating landing beaches into fewer, well-regulated sites would improve monitoring, reduce illegal fishing practices and enhance productivity across the value chain, including fish processing, cold storage, transport and export.
Prof Aggrey-Fynn also urged the government to invest more aggressively in the Blue Economy to reduce pressure on marine resources while creating new revenue streams.
He said Ghana had untapped opportunities in marine tourism, ocean transport and coastal economic activities that could generate significant income.
He cited countries such as Cape Verde, where marine tourism contributes strongly to national revenue, adding that Ghana could replicate similar models by promoting whale-watching and dolphin-watching along its coastline from Winneba to the Western Region.
“We have whales and dolphins in our waters. That is a major tourism opportunity that could bring in foreign exchange and create jobs,” he said.
He further disclosed that the University of Cape Coast was establishing the Africa Ocean Institute to strengthen research, policy development and investment in Ghana’s marine resources.
The institute, which is expected to be launched in Accra before July, would focus on supporting sustainable fisheries management and unlocking business opportunities in the Blue Economy.
Prof Aggrey-Fynn appealed to government and development partners to support the initiative, noting that stronger research and better policy coordination were essential to restoring fish stocks, protecting jobs in the fisheries value chain and improving the long-term contribution of the sector to Ghana’s economy.
