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activities.
Company assets:
USD 6 B of investments being managed Merson acts as holdings company for its investment recipients
—with a level of support available for back office management
Previouscurrent engagement with USAID if any: None
Drawbacks mini-due diligence:
Merson will not invest in a company without a proven track record. It also places a premium to entrepreneurs with management experience.
While it does not place a minimum cap on investments, Merson will also expect a 30 return of its investment within 3-5 years
—a very difficult turnaround time for traditional fisheries sector businesses.
Point of Contact:
Samuel Arthur Executive Director
T: + +233-30-2544197
E: infomersoncapital.com Website:
http:www.mersoncapital.com
Interview Summary: Marine Fisheries Research Division
Marine Fisheries Research Division of Ministry of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Development
Business SectorIndustry:
Data Gathering and Analysis
Location of OperationsProduction: Ghana Date of Interview:
June 11, 2015 Location of Interview:
Tema, Ghana Company FocusProduct:
The Marine Fisheries Research Division MFRD, Tema, of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development is the host institution of the Ocean
Data and Information Network for Africa II ODINAFRICA-II Project in Ghana.
MFRD was established in 1962 as the Fisheries Research Unit FRU under a Food and Agriculture Organization FAO of the United Nations Technical
Assistance Programme. MFRD
’s focus is to conduct marine environmental and fisheries resources research studies that would help the Ghanaian government in its desire to
modernize the fishing industry and sustainably manage its fisheries resources. In 1975, the name was change to Fisheries Research and Utilization Branch
FRUB. Following the re-structuring of the Fisheries Directorate in 1985 as part of the
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World Bank assisted Fisheries Sub-Sector Capacity Building Project, the name was again changed to Marine Fisheries Research Division MFRD.
MFRD has three units that execute its operations; oceanography and
environment, fish and fisheries, and gear unit. MFRD has eight 8 data stations along the coast of Ghana.
Business Interests:
MFRD is interested in collecting physical eg. sea temperature, chemical eg. nutrients in the sea and biological eg. zooplants data on the ocean and landing
sites to aid in fish stock assessment, rate of fish catch, rate of fish exploitation and other related use of the data.
Business Challenges:
Lack of vessel for effective data collection. Lack of human resource to collect data.
Lack of computer programs to facilitate processing of data. No databank to assist in data consolidation.
CSR if any: NA
AlliancePartnership Potential highmediumlow: NA
Program Areas Project Overlap: NA
Company assets: Knowledge in fish data collection and fish industry experience.
Previouscurrent engagement with USAID if any: None known
Drawbacks mini-due diligence: NA Point of Contact:
E.K Dovlo Data Manager
Marine Fisheries Research Division M: + 233 262 120664
E: emkwdovloyahoo.co.uk Website:
