Co-Management of Fisheries Resources

Ghana’s coastal fisheries are a shared resource, and Friends of the Nation (FoN) believes they are best protected when the communities who depend on them have a real seat at the table. Across the Western, Central, and Greater Accra coastal regions, we work with chief fishermen, canoe owners, fish processors, and local authorities to build co-management structures that give fishing communities a direct role in deciding how their fisheries are used and conserved.

What We Do

FoN supports the formation and strengthening of Community-Based Fisheries Management Committees (CBFMCs) and Co-Management Committees (CMCs) that bring together traditional authorities, fisher associations, women fish processors, and district assemblies. We facilitate dialogue between these community structures and the Fisheries Commission, helping translate national fisheries policy, including the Fisheries Act (Act 625) and its regulations, into locally owned rules that communities understand, respect, and enforce. Our work includes training community leaders in participatory resource assessment, supporting the development of local by-laws on closed seasons and gear restrictions, and strengthening the voice of small-scale fishers in decisions that are too often made without them.

Why It Matters

Ghana’s marine fish stocks have declined sharply over the past two decades, driven by overcapacity, illegal fishing, and weak enforcement. Top-down management alone has not been enough to reverse this trend. When fishing communities are genuine partners in governance rather than passive subjects of regulation, compliance improves, local knowledge strengthens decision-making, and the benefits of a recovering fishery are shared more fairly. Co-management is central to FoN’s vision of a fisheries sector that is both ecologically sustainable and just for the people whose livelihoods depend on it.