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2.2.3 Wetlands Conservation
Wetlands conservation is a key feature in the program activities as they provide numerous ecological functions and services. A number of activities were carried out to enhance the status
of wetlands in the focal area. Table 1 shows a list of some wetlands in the six districts and current conservation effort.
Other important activities undertaken have included the d
evelopment of wetlands package for high schools and carbon stock assessment of Wetlands.
Three experts, Gordon Ajonina mangroves, Tundy Agardy wetlandblue carbon and Patrick Maguire Business Biodiversity Offset- BBOPVoluntary Carbon Offset visited the focal areas
and conducted field assessments and held discussions with identified stakeholdersbusiness concerns. The draft preliminary findings will be submitted to CRC-Ghana in October 2011
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Table 1: Some wetlands in the focal districts and the conservation action or activities
Wetland Location
District Partner
Organizations Activity
Pra River Estuary Shama
District SDA, UCC,
Esemaman Development
Association Vulnerability assessment of fringe
communities, Wetland Education and Awareness
Anankwari River Estuary
Watershed management and flood hazard assessment
Essei Lagoon Sekondi-
Takoradi Metropolis
UCC, STMA, CASOLS
Studies to support the development of bylaws for the conservation of the
wetlands as urban nature reserves. Biodiversity Assessment completed.
Rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas. School wetland education
programs Butuah Lagoon
Whin Estuary
Butre, Busua, Akwidae,
Ahanta West
Conservation Foundation,
Forest Trends Mangrove restoration, Community
Education Development of bylaws and Carbon stocks assessment
AkwidaeEzile, Ehunli.
Amanzure Ellembelle UCSOND
Wetland conservation and management Ankobra
Nzema East
Ellembelle Forest Trends
Carbon Stock Assessment. Negotiation with private sector to support wetlands
conservation programs Nzulenoanu
Ellembelle RECA Wetland management through
management and awareness Amanzure
Ellembelle Jomoro
Traditional Authorities
District Assemblies
Carbon Stock Assessment Community conservationCREMA
Domunli Jomoro
Ghana Wildlife Society GWS
Community Education Nzimitianu
Jomoro Nzimitianu
Biodiversity Association
Mangrove restoration, Community Education CREMA
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Figure 12
: Carbon stock assessment in mangroves
2.2.4 Fisheries Value Chain The Value Chain Analysis focused on smoked marine fish - overwhelmingly the most important
fish product originating in Western Region. Smoked fish from Western Region is mainly destined for the domestic market where demand is very strong. Small quantities of smoked fish
are traded in Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Although there are many stakeholders providing services at each point in the value chain, the
chain is relatively straightforward involving only fishers, fish traders at the landings, fish processors and retailers. Power is strongly concentrated in the hands of fish traders at the
landings who pre-finance fishing operations, buy from the fishermen and sell to fish processors. Market retailers are also powerful. An informal “closed shop” seems to apply to both groups.
There is no physical loss of fish, since all fish finds a market fish that is spoiling is diverted into lower value processing or if very bad, sold as poultry feed. This seems to hold true all year
round, although clearly financial losses from “down-grading” are higher during the peak landings season.
The studies were concentrated on the southern to middle zone of Ghana and will be continued into the northern zone to examine the extent to which fish from the Western Region is traded up
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country. Other pilots will be developed and designed in close consultation with stakeholders. A comprehensive report on this study is available from Hɛn Mpoano.
Figure 13:
Fish packaged for distant markets
2.3 Component 3: Improved Governance of the Seascape
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