ESTABLISHMENT OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS MPAs AND COASTAL RAMSAR SITES ADDRESSING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS FISHERIES MANAGEMENT REFORM

A National document on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation REDD Strategy known as the REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal R-PP has been developed to address Reducing Emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The document outlines the roadmap to address drivers of deforestation with its REDD Strategy options to mitigate the effects of climate change. Ghana has established a multi-stakeholder National Climate Change Committee NCCC hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology. The committee is made up of relevant government agencies including EPA, FC, MOFA, MLNR, MEST and is responsible for advising government on the issues relating to the climate change in Ghana.

7.0 CURRENT PRIORITIES FOR TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

7.1 ESTABLISHMENT OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS MPAs AND COASTAL RAMSAR SITES

Currently there are no marine protected areas MPAs in the country while the Western Region unlike the other coastal Regions has no designated Ramsar Sites. Given the importance of MPAs and Ramsar sites in the management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems, urgent consideration should be given to establishing MPAs and Ramsar sites in the Region. It is recommended that the Amanzule wetlands, the Ahunli and Belibangara lagoons, and Esiama beach be considered for such designations. The Cape Three Points and Ankasa Conservation Area are terrestrial areas of crirtical concern as regards endangered habitats and biota. The conservation practices in place must be improved.

7.2 ADDRESSING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS

Considering the enormous havoc caused by blooms of the green alga Enteromorpha flexuosa in the Western Region since 1993, it is necessary for scientific cooperation between Ghana and Ivory Coast to address this menace. Similarly cooperation will be required to control the invasive Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes in the TanoAbbyEhy lagoon complex on the south west border of Ghana and Ivory.

7.3 FISHERIES MANAGEMENT REFORM

The fish resources in the country, especially the marine demersal stocks, are over- exploited and their maximum exploitable level exceeded. It is imperative that a more effective fisheries strategy and management plan involving the following is put in place: • Enforce ban on pair trawling, “light fishing” and other destructive fishing methods such as use of small mesh nets and poisons in all aquatic habitats • Enforce ban on the use of explosives in the fishing industry 46 • Provide support for closed seasons in lagoons imposed by traditional authorities • Conduct research on abundance and distribution of fish stocks for effective planning, development, exploitation and management of fish resources • Control foreign fishing trawlers in Ghanaian waters

7.4 ENDANGERED SPECIES