Nigeria, Ghana Eye Strengthening Fight Against Illegal Fishing

Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance, vessel authorisation and efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the West Central Gulf of Guinea.

The agreement followed a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, in Accra on Wednesday.

The discussions focused on improving fisheries monitoring, sharing information on authorised fishing vessels and promoting the sustainable management of marine resources amid concerns over the economic and environmental consequences of illegal fishing.

Oyetola, who is the president of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), said stronger coordination between both countries was necessary to address illegal fishing, which threatens food security, government revenue and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

He identified Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a platform to improve cooperation with Ghana, particularly for verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging information through the regional fisheries body.

According to him, technical teams from both countries could work together to identify discrepancies in vessel authorisation records and develop procedures for resolving them.

Such collaboration, he said, would improve 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.

In her remarks, Arthur commended Nigeria’s efforts in combating piracy and its progress in developing the marine and blue economy sector.

She reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to tackling illegal fishing and pledged her country’s cooperation with Nigeria.

The Ghanaian minister also disclosed that her country had developed its own Marine and Blue Economy policy and sought Nigeria’s support in sharing knowledge and experience, citing Nigeria’s experience in developing a policy framework for the sector.

The request is expected to provide an opportunity for both countries to exchange expertise on ocean governance, fisheries management and the development of their blue economy sectors.

As part of his visit, Oyetola also met with the secretary-general of the FCWC, Antoine Djihinto, and other officials of the secretariat in Tema, Ghana.

He commended the secretariat for its achievements over the past year and pledged Nigeria’s continued collaboration with other member states to strengthen regional fisheries governance and combat illegal fishing.

The minister stressed that effective monitoring, control, and surveillance, alongside improved information sharing and the implementation of regional initiatives, were critical to protecting fisheries resources and ensuring their long-term sustainability.

The FCWC comprises six member countries: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo. It provides a framework for regional cooperation in fisheries management, maritime security and sustainable fishing practices across the West Central Gulf of Guinea.