Nigeria, Ghana strengthen fisheries cooperation, stronger vessel controls

By Godwin Oritse

Nigeria and Ghana are moving to strengthen maritime cooperation and tighten fisheries governance across the Gulf of Guinea, with renewed focus on combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, improving vessel authorisation and strengthening monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities.

The commitment followed a meeting held in Accra between Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, and Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Emelia Arthur.

Oyetola, who also serves as President of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central (FCWC) in Gulf of Guinea, emphasised the strategic importance of coordinated maritime oversight and effective fisheries regulation in protecting shared marine resources and securing the region’s waters against illegal fishing.

As part of the visit, Oyetola engaged with the FCWC Secretariat and the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Centre in Tema, Ghana, to advance cross-border cooperation, strengthen fisheries enforcement and support regional maritime surveillance during Nigeria’s chairmanship of the Committee.

At the meeting, Oyetola called for stronger operational coordination between Nigeria and Ghana to tackle IUU fishing, describing it as a shared maritime challenge that threatens marine resources, food security, government revenue and the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities.

In a statement by Dr. Bolaji Akinola Special Adviser to the minister, said the minister highlighted Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a practical platform for enhanced cooperation with Ghana, particularly in verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging relevant information through the FCWC framework.

According to him, technical teams from both countries could work together to identify discrepancies in vessel authorisation records and establish agreed procedures for resolving them, thereby improving transparency, compliance and fisheries monitoring across the subregion.

“Our shared interest is to protect fisheries resources, expand sustainable production and strengthen the livelihoods of our people. Nigeria remains committed to working with Ghana towards these objectives,” Oyetola said.

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