Aquaculture production increased in 2022 — Fisheries Minister

Ghana has witnessed significant strides in aquaculture production with output increasing from 25,350 tons in 2019 to 132,652 tons in 2022.

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, disclosed this in a speech read for her at a workshop in Accra.

Despite the progress, the Minister said challenges such as technological limitations, outbreaks of disease and cost of feed underscore the need for comprehensive interventions along the aquaculture value chain.

She described the two-day workshop as timely as the country prepares to implement the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan (2024-2028) to enhance practice, management and sustainable development of agriculture as a viable business.

Mrs Koomson said the workshop would allow the bolstering of scientific capabilities and foster a cadre of experts equipped to navigate the complexities of our marine environment.

She explained that “the emphasis on developing science-based policy and management tools could not be a timeline for Ghana. Our coastal regions face a myriad of challenges from over-fishing to pollution, necessitating a proactive and informed approach to policy formulation.

“By harnessing the insights garnered through scientific research, we can forge policies that are not only robust but also reflective of the ecological imperative of our oceans”, she added.

Giving participants a brief of the status of Aquaculture in Ghana, the Director of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Fisheries of the Fisheries Commission, Dr Lawrance Ahia, said the sector comprises over 2,500 small-scale operators, 14 medium-scale operators and eight large-scale operators with a holding facility of 4,925 and 10,10 for ponds and cages as of 2019.

On the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan 2024-2028, he mentioned the expected result of the plan to include increased efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions, increased quantities of farmed fish products and increased productivity and profitability of fish farming and its related value chain enterprises.

The workshop aimed to discuss the use of one health framework to integrate key issues in animal, environmental and human health and adopt collaborative approaches to improve safe and sustainable aquaculture production in Ghana.