Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ACCRA69
2009-01-30 08:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Accra
Cable title:  

FISHERIES AND COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY

Tags:  SENV ZF KCRM GH 
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R 300831Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7538
UNCLAS ACCRA 000069 


FOR OES/PCI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ZF KCRM GH

SUBJECT: FISHERIES AND COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
UPDATES

SUMMARY

UNCLAS ACCRA 000069


FOR OES/PCI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ZF KCRM GH

SUBJECT: FISHERIES AND COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
UPDATES

SUMMARY


1. Marine fisheries and coastal zones are topics of discussion
included in exchanges on climate change, rising sea levels and
increasing coastal populations. Increasing pressure on global
fish stocks caused by poor management and enforcement and
increasing populations in coastal urban centers continue to
impact local, national and regional economies. The science
and security challenges continue to mount in Ghana and in the
region. END SUMMARY

FISHERIES


2. The Regional Environmental Officer (REO) met with the
Chief Director of the former Ministry of Fisheries on January
23, 2009. Mr. Quaye, an administration hold over for the GoG
transition period, implied the Ministry of Fisheries would
revert to a Fisheries Department under the Ministry of
Agriculture. This administrative change was confirmed in a
Presidential press release on 24 January 2009. In light of
this ministerial change, Mr. Quaye maintained his attitude
regarding the importance of the Ghanaian fishing industry. He
indicated the fishing industry employs about ten percent of
the Ghanaian population and continues to be negatively
impacted by illegal pair trawling. He stressed the need for
continued support from GoG and the donor community for the
eventual construction of 6 cold storage facilities, 2 fishing
harbors and 12 landing sites to sustain the Ghanaian fishing
industry on an international basis. Mr. Quaye repeated the
need for a comprehensive fisheries monitoring and surveillance
program and expressed the need for joint maritime-fisheries
patrolling. He also mentioned the purchase of six Chinese
maritime patrol vessels. He did not elaborate on financial
details of the acquisition or the physical characteristics of
the new patrol vessels. He thought that new patrol vessels
could begin to arrive in Ghana within the next six months.
They would be operated by the Ghanaian Navy and there would be
trained fisheries observers participating on routine maritime
patrols. COMMENT: It would be refreshing to find a joint
mission statement supporting combined maritime-fisheries
patrolling in the Ghanaian exclusive economic zone. END
COMMENT.

COASTAL ZONES


3. The Ghanaian coastal zone plays an increasingly important
role in the accommodation of industry and human domicile. The
increased competition for developable land to support industry
and human domicile will continue to impact effective coastal
zone planning practices. Sustained investment in the Ghanaian
coastal zones is necessary. Science and engineering can
contribute to proactive coastal zone management policy
designed to manage natural resources and sustain
infrastructure in the coastal zone. COMMENT: The
infrastructure projects mentioned in Para 2 can also be viewed
as site specific plans to mitigate the effects of coastal
erosion. END COMMENT. The recent USG support ($151,000 USD)
provided by DoD to develop an oceanographic research
partnership with the University of Ghana will provide
meaningful PHD level research for improved understanding of
the coastal dynamics in the Ghanaian coastal zone.
Additionally, USAID-Ghana has committed $3million USD (bio-
diversity funds) to the USAID Sustainable Coastal Communities
and Ecosystems (SUCCESS) program under the leadership of the
University of Rhode Island Coastal Resource Center (URICRC).
The program will be focused at about 150 coastal communities
along West Coast of Ghana, between Cape Three Points and the
Border with Cote d Ivoire. USAID Ghana will provide more
details in the coming weeks on this SUCCESS project.


4. For further discussion contact Geoffrey Hunt at +233-21-
741- 417 or Patience Charway at +233-21-741-839.

TEITELBAUM