Ghana’s newly appointed Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, has received both congratulations and high expectations from civil society groups, with environmental organizations and the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency urging her to address the country’s long-standing issues of illegal fishing and mismanagement of its coastal resources.
In her first week in office, Minister Arthur outlined an ambitious vision for the sustainable growth of the fisheries sector—a sector that plays a critical role in the livelihoods of coastal communities.
At a time when Ghana faces growing international scrutiny, particularly from the European Union which has issued a second “yellow card” over the nation’s failure to effectively combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, Minister Arthur pledged to accelerate efforts to lift this warning. Her plans include the establishment of a Blue Economy Initiative aimed at harnessing the potential of Ghana’s maritime resources, as well as significant improvements in aquaculture. Importantly, she has committed to empowering stakeholders, especially women, by facilitating access to loans and other support measures.
Despite the minister’s forward-looking agenda, she did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead—challenges that include overfishing, rampant illegal fishing, insufficient funding, and gaps in data collection. Observers note that these issues are not new to Ghana’s fisheries but have long been exacerbated by a lack of transparency and accountability. Local advocacy groups are calling on Minister Arthur to adopt the 10 transparency policy principles outlined in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency during the 2025-2028 mandate. These principles, which include the regular publication of comprehensive details on fishing vessel licenses, authorizations, subsidies, access agreements, and sanctions, as well as the disclosure of vessels’ beneficial ownership, are seen as essential to ensuring that coastal communities have a voice in decision-making processes and can benefit from sustainable fisheries management.
Maisie Pigeon, Director for the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency, expressed cautious optimism about the new minister’s approach. “Hon. Arthur is well positioned to provide strong leadership to ensure the sustainable future of Ghana’s coastal communities,” Pigeon remarked. She added that the minister’s bold and transformative vision builds on recent commitments to transparency, suggesting that Ghana could soon set a new standard in sustainable fisheries governance.
During a recent meeting with the Fisheries Commission—the agency responsible for implementing MoFAD policies—Minister Arthur highlighted several priorities. These include strengthening the regulation of fishing vessels, reforming the trawl sub-sector to reduce the harvest of juvenile fish, enhancing safety standards for canoes, deploying Electronic Monitoring Systems to better track illegal fishing activities, and establishing Marine Protected Areas to conserve marine biodiversity.
Ghana’s fisheries have long been a vital part of its national identity and economic fabric, and many see Minister Arthur’s appointment as an opportunity to finally address systemic issues. With a reputation built on years of government and development experience, her focus on stakeholder collaboration and innovation offers a glimmer of hope for the future of the sector. As she emphasized, “Collaboration, innovation, and dedication are key to building a fisheries sector that supports food security, economic empowerment, and environmental preservation.”
While the road ahead may be challenging, the call for greater transparency and accountability has resonated deeply with both civil society and coastal communities. If Minister Arthur can successfully integrate the Global Charter principles into policy and practice, her leadership could mark a turning point—not only for Ghana’s fisheries but for the broader quest to achieve sustainable resource management and economic empowerment along the nation’s coast.
