Fisheries Minister urges compliance-first approach to combat illegal fishing

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Emelia Arthur, has called for a shift towards prioritising compliance over enforcement in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, saying the approach offers more lasting results.

She made the remarks on Wednesday at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and Blue Ventures Conservation to strengthen sustainable fisheries management in Ghana.

The agreement will support efforts to promote responsible fishing practices and protect marine resources across the country.

It will also align with Ghana’s national priorities while contributing to global efforts to conserve fisheries.

According to the minister, the partnership reflects the Ministry’s focus on sustainable practices and stronger collaboration with stakeholders to improve outcomes in the sector.

The Chief Executive Officer of Blue Ventures Conservation, Ebrima Saidy, described the agreement as timely and commended the Minister’s leadership.

He called for closer cooperation between the organisation and the Ministry to achieve shared goals.

He also acknowledged ongoing government interventions in the fisheries sector and reaffirmed Blue Ventures Conservation’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s efforts.

Mr Saidy further invited the Minister to speak at the 11th Our Ocean Conference scheduled for June 2026 in Kenya.

The partnership will cover policy and legal support, fisheries law enforcement, capacity building, research and data collection, community engagement, marine conservation, livelihood support, and monitoring and evaluation.