The Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) has congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his election victory, reminding him to fulfil his numerous campaign promises made to artisanal fishers and the fishing communities.
Nana Kweigyah, the national President of CaFGOAG, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), emphasised the need for the incoming government to prioritise fisheries co-management in order to promote inclusive decisions and sustainable fisheries management.
He explained that fisheries co-management is a relationship between resource-users, such as fishers or a fishing community, and a government agency for the purpose of managing a fishery.
He added that it was a collaborative arrangement where both groups had some responsibility and authority, adding that this approach was now widely considered to be the most appropriate, fair, and effective form of governance for small-scale fisheries.
Nana Kweigyah noted that “in all, CaFGOAG looks forward to policies and interventions that improve small-scale fishers’ access to fisheries resources, promote responsible fishing, and improve the welfare of fishers.”
He added that it was important that the incoming government invest heavily in social protection for small-scale fishers to improve the poverty situation in fishing communities. -GNA
