Ghana champions indigenous knowledge for equitable fisheries

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA), Emelia Arthur, has called on stakeholders to embrace indigenous wisdom to protect the ocean.

Delivering a keynote address at Ghana’s side event at the ongoing United Nations Ocean Conference in France, she emphasised the need to harmonise scientific approaches with indigenous ecological wisdom to address pressing ocean challenges.

Ghana’s side event at the third UN Ocean Conference, which was on the theme: “Bridging Conservation Gaps: Integrating Indigenous Practices for Equitable Fisheries in Ghana”, convened global stakeholders, policymakers, civil society, and development partners to explore inclusive approaches to ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries management.

The minister in her address said: “The fisheries sector is vital to Ghana’s economy, food security and identity.

Yet, it faces immense pressures from overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) practices, and climate change.” 

“To bridge the gap between traditional stewardship and formal governance, we must recognise indigenous systems as central to sustainable and equitable outcomes,” she said.

The minister highlighted centuries-old practices such as taboo fishing zones, sacred groves, and closed fishing days, practised by Ghanaian fishing communities, as critical tools for conservation that must be formally documented and preserved.

The session showcased Ghana’s leadership in integrating traditional knowledge systems into formal governance frameworks, reaffirming the country’s commitment to a more equitable and resilient blue economy.

Indigenous wisdom

The sector minister outlined Ghana’s implementation of the Co-Management Policy for the Fisheries Sector, including forming Community-Based Fisheries Management Committees (CBFMCs) and strong collaboration with national fisher associations such as the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council and the National Fish Processors and Traders Association.

Participants in the side event

She said in a significant move to institutionalise the role of traditional knowledge in fisheries governance, the government had appointed a fisherman as an Advisor on Indigenous Knowledge to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

This appointment, she said, strongly signalled political will and national commitment to elevating indigenous knowledge systems in environmental and marine policy.

Ghana’s participation

Ghana is participating in the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in France, from June 9 to 13 and is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica on the theme:

“Accelerating Action and Mobilising All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean”.

Ghana’s delegation is being led by the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Arthur.

The ministers were joined by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Godfred Seidu Jasaw; the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Kwame Dzudzoli Gakpey, and a Ranking Member of the Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku.

Protect the ocean

At the opening ceremony, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, underscored the urgent moral responsibility to protect the ocean, stating, “Protecting our ocean now is not just an ecological imperative, but a moral one. Only through urgent and united action can we ensure a healthy, thriving planet for generations to come.”

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference is a pivotal platform to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources.