The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), in collaboration with its technical partners Trygg Mat Tracking (TMT) and Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF), convened a two-day National Working Group meeting to strengthen the country’s operational capacity to implement the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) and improve controls over foreign fishing vessels entering Ghanaian ports.
The National Working Group meeting brought together key national agencies, fisheries inspectors, Fisheries Monitoring Centre operators, port authorities, and other National agencies to support practical implementation of fisheries port controls. The meeting focused on the development and operationalization of additional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide decision-making, enforcement, and communication with flag States.
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major threat to sustainable fisheries governance in West Africa. The PSMA provides countries with an important legal and operational framework to prevent vessels linked to illegal fishing from accessing ports or landing catch, helping to keep illegally caught fish out of national and international supply chains.
The meeting formed part of ongoing regional support to FCWC Member States under initiatives supported by Norway, including the Fisheries Intelligence and MCS Support in West Africa project and the programme Supporting PSMA Implementation in Africa: Intelligence-led Fisheries Port Controls. These initiatives provide analytical support, training, tools, and operational guidance to strengthen national and regional responses to IUU fishing.
During the meeting, participants reviewed Ghana fisheries operations, discussed vessel activities in the region, and considered lessons from recent port visit reports. The agenda also included an update from the FCWC Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Centre on the Regional Record of Authorized Fishing Vessels, including the registration process and the development of sensitization materials for operators.
A key focus of the National Working Group was the advancement of two priority SOPs. The first addresses decision-making and enforcement, supporting consistent and lawful responses following vessel inspections under Ghanaian law and relevant international obligations. The second focuses on communication with the flag State of a fishing vessel, ensuring timely, accurate, and complete exchanges of information in line with PSMA requirements.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to introduce the process for establishing the Regional Record of Authorized Fishing Vessels and to gather inputs from relevant national authorities on a clear pathway for sensitizing operators.
Through Inter-agencies approach Ghana took another important step toward more effective fisheries port controls and stronger implementation of the PSMA in the fight against IUU fishing.
Tina Nkansah Akuamoah - Communication Officer
