This activity was funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
13/09/2025

The nationwide effort to designate Ghana’s first Marine Protected Area (MPA) has reached a decisive moment. Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, confirmed during the MPA community tour that the MPA documentation is now before Cabinet and expressed hope for it’s gazettement and a formal announcement before year-end of 2025. The update concluded the final advocacy and validation engagements in Agyan, Akonu, and Domunli all in the western region of Ghana (Nzema East Municipality), carried out with Hen Mpoano’s support.

The Minister was joined in the final leg by Hon. Kofi Arkoh Nokoe (Member of Parliament for Nzema East) and Hon. Herbert Kuah Dickson (Municipal Chief Executive for Nzema East), signaling strong local leadership backing for the proposed designation.

While the proposed Greater Cape Three Points MPA will encompass around 21 communities across Ahanta West and Nzema East Municipalities, the Minister’s team conducted 25 community visits in total. This deliberate outreach extended beyond the MPA footprint to neighboring communities to broaden awareness, deepen transparency, and secure community endorsement ahead of final policy decisions as this initiative took the buttom-up approach.
The reasoning behind this tour was mainly to ;

• Build shared understanding of the MPA concept how it protects key habitats, supports fisheries recovery, and secures livelihoods;
• Gather community input and ensure local buy-in on boundaries, rules, and livelihood considerations;
• Strengthen legitimacy and accountability before Cabinet’s final consideration and potential gazettement.
  
  A Marine Protected Area is a designated ocean and coastal space where human activities are carefully managed to protect vital habitats, rebuild fish stocks, and safeguard livelihoods.

Alongside the MPA update, the Minister referenced key provisions of the new Fisheries & Aquaculture Act (2025) including an expanded Inshore Exclusion Zone (IEZ) reserved for artisanal fishers and stricter requirements that commercial trawling vessels operate further offshore.
These measures are designed to reduce gear conflict, protect breeding and nursery grounds, and advance stock recovery.
She also issued a clear caution to the community members present to refrain from Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, noting that IUU remains a major driver of dwindling fish stocks in Ghana.

For over a decade, Hen Mpoano has pioneered and sustained the national charge toward Ghana’s first MPA from early advocacy and technical assessments to deep community engagement and policy dialogue.

The conversation that Ghana’s first MPA is in Cabinet awaiting final deliberations and gazettment is a shared achievement especially to us at Hen Mpoano , the communities, and our partners.
Hen Mpoano remains happy that our role which has been to show evidence, amplify local voices, and livelihoods at the center of marine governance is about to yield results.

Hen Mpoano acknowledges the leadership of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA), the technical contributions of the Fisheries Commission , the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and the collaboration of communities across Ahanta West and Nzema East.

We also recognize the support and participation of Hon. Kofi Arkoh Nokoe (MP, Nzema East) , Hon. Ebenezer Kofi Aidoo ( MCE, Ahanta West), and Hon. Herbert Kuah Dickson (MCE, Nzema East) throughout the tour.

This activity was funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. We extend our gratitude to our donors and partners whose support strengthens inclusive, evidence-based marine governance in Ghana.


Written by Doe Bona-Mensah