For over a decade, Hen Mpoano has worked along Ghana’s coastlines, supporting communities, restoring mangroves, and shaping fisheries governance. But in recent years, our role has grown even more critical helping Ghana take its first steps toward formally protecting its marine resources through the establishment and declaration of Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s). Hen Mpoano can boast of being one of the lead organization’s advocating for Ghana’s first nearshore MPA development process, and to be recognized as the organization the country looks to when it comes to MPA’s.

But what exactly is an MPA, and why does Ghana need one now?

An (M.P.A) is an abbreviation that stands for a Marine Protected Area, it is or are a clearly defined section of the ocean or coast where human activities are carefully managed or completely restricted to help protect marine life and allow ecosystems to recover. MPA’s are like national parks for the ocean. Around the world, they are used to reverse declining fish stocks, protect coral reefs, mangroves, and support livelihoods through sustainable fishing. In Ghana, where small pelagic fish species like sardines and anchovies have declined sharply, MPA’s are becoming a necessary tool for recovery.

The urgency is real. Ghana’s marine fisheries is in crisis due to combining factors including but not limited to; years of over-fishing, illegal practices, and habitat loss have led to the near collapse of our small pelagic fisheries. Some fishers report catching less than half of what they used to a decade ago. Coastal ecosystems like mangroves, which protect shorelines and store up to four times more carbon than inland forests, are being cut at alarming rates. These challenges are felt most by the very communities that depend on the sea to survive.

Hen Mpoano has responded not with talk, but with action by putting communities at the center of marine conservation planning. Through donor funded projects like the USAID-funded Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) project, UK Aid funded Beyond MPA, and the Bloomberg Philanthrophies “Establishing the Enabling Conditions for Effective MPA Implementation in Ghana’s Greater Cape Three Points Area'” Project , Hen Mpoano has been leading the conversation on the establishment of Ghana’s first MPA in the Greater Cape Three Points (GCTP) area which could be dated as far back as 2010. Our approach has been grounded in local knowledge, inclusive engagement, and scientific rigor.

Much recently since March 2023, we have worked with 21 coastal communities from Ampatano in Ahanta West to Domunli in Nzema East all in the western Region of Ghana. Through community meetings, participatory mapping, trainings, and educational campaigns and video screening sessions, we have reached over 3,300 stakeholders including 1,739 men and 1,632 women. We have listened to their experiences, documented their knowledge, and worked with them to identify areas in need of protection.

In 15 of these communities, we have facilitated participatory Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) mapping, which allowed fishers, processors, and community leaders to outline important habitats, fishing zones, and migration patterns. In 19 communities, carried out participatory mangrove ecosystem mapping with 574 people to assess the health and extent of mangrove forests essential nurseries for fish and natural shields against floods.

We also rolled out targeted educational campaigns in 20 prospective communities in the MPA enclave, reaching 1,368 people, including women fish processors, youth leaders, and local authorities. These campaigns explained what an MPA is, why it matters, and how co-management can work. Our sessions have included games, ocean-themed activities, storytelling, video screening sessions and open discussions because conservation should be engaging, not intimidating.

At Hen Mpoano we believe in bottom-up conservation because It’s about building a shared vision with the people who live along the coast, trust needs to be built hence the reason we have been intentional in visiting all these communities to capture diverse opinions breaking away from the usual top-down approach which haven’t been sustainable over the years.

Our work didn’t end at the shoreline. We facilitated and continue to engage in regional-level dialogues with key institutions including the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), Fisheries Commission, EPA, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, traditional authorities, and district assemblies. These conversations have helped bridge local concerns with national policy objectives and paved the way for a legally backed MPA framework.

So why is Hen Mpoano seen as Ghana’s go-to organization on MPAs?

This is because for the past decade Hen Mpoano has built trust among major fishing communities along the coast of Ghana, and also been a front liner in the advocacy of sustainable fisheries management. We have been able to blend science with tradition, proven that community-based approaches can lead to national action. And we don’t just talk about ocean protection we make it happen.

We’re not just facilitating Ghana’s first MPA. We’re helping design the blueprint for a network of MPAs across Ghana’s coast. As the country looks to meet global targets like the Sustainable Development Goals and the 30×30 Ocean Conservation Target, the work we are doing at Greater Cape Three Points offers a tested, people-centered path forward.

At Hen Mpoano, we are proud of the trust placed in us by fisher folk, chiefs, assembly members, and national agencies alike. But the work is far from over. Protecting the ocean requires partnerships, new ideas, and lasting commitment.

If you’re a policymaker, researcher, development partner, or community leader who believes in ocean sustainability, we invite you to join us. Let’s build Ghana’s marine future together.

Send us an email today at : info@henmpoano.org

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Written by ; Doe Bona-Mensah