Communication and Liaison between Regional and National Scales

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3. Communications and Documenting Lessons Learned

3.1 Communication and Liaison between Regional and National Scales

In the final year, the ICFG Initiative deepened national and regional level engagement. The major thrust was continued interaction through high level discussions to link results of the ICFG Initiative to national programs. Through these engagements, the ICFG had the opportunity to contribute to policy formulation in fisheries and coastal management. Significantly ICFG participated in: • A consultation process with the Fisheries Commission, Attorney General’s Department, Ministry of Local Government as well as with other national and regional level stakeholders, on the development of a Legislative Initiative for fisheries co-management. In Ghana • As part of his familiarization, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development MOFAD, Hon. Nayon Bilijo led a high powered team to visit, thank and learn more about the ICFG Initiative support for the fisheries in Ghana. • Supported the Fisheries Alliance to undertake regional level consultations with fisheries stakeholders to design of options for fisheries co-management in Ghana. Outputs of the consultation process fed into the 3 rd Fisheries Dialogue • Discussions with Ghana Police Service on formalizing collaboration between the Minister of Interior and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to support the Marine Police Unit after the exit of the ICFG. The ICFG also developed a Standard Operating Procedures SOP for collaborative work between the Ghana Police Service and other stakeholders in fisheries law enforcement. This SOP document will be submitted to the new Fisheries Enforcement Unit for consideration and adoption. • The Cross Sectoral Planning Group CSPG working sessions to assist with the identification and incorporation of key coastal and fisheries governance issues into the agenda of sector ministries for the 2014 – 2017 National Medium Term Development Policy Framework • The Program leadership engaged key policy decision makers and experts in government and civil society and solicited their views for refining the policy proposals for Joint District Planning. • Further consultations are planned during the no-cost extension phase to discuss the strategies and emerging opportunities for addressing challenges facing the fisheries sector. This will involve the Fisheries Commission and the Ministry, Parliamentary select committees on Agriculture and subsidiary legislation. Also, deliberative sessions are planned to be held with officials at the NDPC and Office of the President on the policy proposals on nested coastal governance. •

3.2 Communications at the Local and Regional and National Scale