47
IR 4: Applied Management: Improved Management of Marine Resources to Reduce Over-exploitation, to conserve Biodiversity and Provide Other Benefits
SFMP will work at three ecosystem scales of management for three types of fisheries stocks. Priority in the first two years will be on the small pelagic fisheries, with a demersal fisheries and
marine spatial plan in the WR linked to community-based estuarine management plans in following years. Integrated community resilience and marine biodiversity conservation actions
will be implemented. The nested approach to design and implementation will enable a synchronized and mutually reinforcing flow of information across national, regional, district and
local levels.
Key outcomes and results expected over LoP as described in the Program Description include the following:
• Four fisheries management plans developed andor adopted and implemented at different ecosystem scales national small pelagics plan, Western Region Demersal Plan,
Community based plans for the Pra and Ankobra estuarinemangrove systems • Approximately 13,000 people, a majority of whom are women, benefiting from
diversified livelihoods, access to micro-credit, adoption of more profitable fish smokers and product value additions
• Several fishing communities more resilient to climate impacts • Capacity of more than a dozen district authorities to promote and support resilient
community policies and initiatives.
4.1 Small Pelagic Fisheries Management
Activity Lead: Lazar
Activity Team: CRCAccra, Hen Mpoano, Friends of the Nation, UCC, URICRC
As noted in IR1, the initial priority is to work with stakeholders to consider immediate actions to turn around this fishery on the verge of collapse.
This “quick hit” strategy will be accompanied by a longer term adaptive fisheries co- management planning process for the small pelagic complex at the national level. It will include
a detailed fisheries profile, a stock assessment and management recommendations to be analyzed by the scientific and technical working group. The SFMP will work with MOFAD and the FC to
establish a stakeholders’ advisory committees, chaired by the FC allowed under Article 9 of the Fisheries Act to develop a vision consistent with national policies; then consider a suite of
management measures for reducing overexploitation and rebuilding stocks. Initial management measures will focus on input controls and other measures to limit overfishing, while IR1 and IR2
activities set the stage for progress toward output controls. Output controls could include transitions to collective and total quota systems. If fisheries legislation is passed that allows for
true co-management committees, the stakeholders’ advisory committees could be transformed into a formal Co-Management Committees.
A national small pelagics fisheries management plan must be developed in close coordination with sub-regional management initiatives such as the FCWC to account for the stock boundaries
and regional differences in fisheries, fish migration, essential habitat and stakeholder needs. The SFMP will introduce a conservation equivalency model which is a fisheries management process
48 by which localregional sub-national co-management bodies are allowed management
flexibility in order to take into account local fishing conditions and stakeholders input while maintaining consistency with the national standards outlined in national law, regulations and
policy declarations. The introduction of localregional flexibility in managing fisheries is consistent with the philosophy behind key legislation that has an impact on Ghana fisheries.
Ghanaian laws and policies do not specifically refer in detail to such a concept but they do recognize the differences between regions for the purpose of decentralization policies and the
opportunity to accommodate specific socio-economic conditions. Conservation equivalency is essential in order to avoid the strategy of “one size fits all” in management measures. This will
gradually introduce the concept of regional jurisdictions and introduce models of property rights in fisheries—consistent with key legislation.
Comprehensive management planning will get underway in Year 2 if the “quick hit” strategy is adopted in Year 1. However, in Year 1, the SFMP will develop a baseline fisheries profile
addressing ecological, socio-economic and governance components. This study will be conducted by Hen Mpoano and will be focused on small pelagics at the national level. The goal
of the study is intended to be used at the first national dialogue to guide policies and management decisions related to 1 various fishery management strategies; 2 potential
industry’s capacity reduction plans; 3 economic development initiatives; 4 infrastructure investments; and 5 community and marine fisheries spatial planning.
The SMFP will establish an ad-hoc national and regional advisory groups consisting of artisanal and semi-industrial fishermen, women processors, dealers and FC representatives. This
framework will be consistent with existing laws and coordinated with WARP management units.
Table of Key Activities and Milestones
Who Activity 4.1 Small Pelagic Fisheries
Management
Q1 Q2
Q3 Q4
CRCHM Terms of reference for fisheries profile
[Implemented by HM; field work required] X
CRCFC FC establishes Advisory Group framework:
national committee, regional subgroups 3 Accra, Central , Western Region
X CRCFC
Review draft report of Fisheries profile of the small pelagics fisheries complex [High end,
reader-friendly publication…Our Coast Our Future style, released by FC
X
CRC Develop a local knowledge map on small pelagics
fisheries… GIS mapping with stakeholders…migration, distribution, spawning,
abundance X
List of Key Outputs •
Small Pelagics Fisheries Profile [ACT001]
49 •
Letter of appointment of advisory groups nationalregional •
Local knowledge maps •
Report to the National dialogue
4.2 National Marine Protected Area MPA Working Group
