Ghana is considering suspending the annual closed fishing season for artisanal fishers in 2026 following research findings that the policy has deepened economic hardship in coastal communities without delivering measurable conservation benefits.
Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Emelia Arthur indicated the government may abandon the closure this year, opting instead for stricter enforcement of marine conservation regulations to protect fish stocks.
“We may this year maintain no closure, but with a very stern warning and strict enforcement of marine conservation management and practices,” Arthur stated at the launch of the Creating Synergy Between Indigenous Practices and Scientific Knowledge research report in Accra.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and known as the Sankofa Project, examined the socio-economic impact of the July 2024 closed season across 833 fisherfolk in 15 landing beaches within eight major fishing communities across Ghana’s four coastal regions.
About 70 percent of fisherfolk surveyed indicated that fishing was their sole source of livelihood, leaving families vulnerable during the one-month closure. The research documented reduced household food security, increased school absenteeism among children, and rising social challenges in coastal areas.
Women bore disproportionate burdens during the closure period, assuming responsibility for household expenses when male fishers lost income sources. “During the closed season, women carry the weight of feeding the family and managing household expenses,” the report stated, describing the impact as “distinctly gendered”.
Approximately 90 percent of respondents reported declining fish landings over the past decade, despite implementation of the closed season policy. The research found the temporary ban encouraged some fishers to intensify fishing efforts before and after the closure, sometimes resorting to illegal methods to recover lost income and settle debts.
A fisher from the Central Region explained the pressure, noting fishers are forced to work even when sea conditions are rough to prepare for the closure period and must catch more fish afterward to repay debts.
Ghana introduced the closed season policy for industrial trawlers in 2016 and extended it to artisanal fishers in 2019, despite strong resistance over timing and livelihood concerns. The policy aims to allow fish stocks to recover by temporarily halting fishing during vulnerable periods such as spawning and migration.
The research concluded that while the closed season provided fishers rest time, it halted income from primary livelihoods, creating adverse socio-economic impacts with ripple effects across households. The study recommended that any future closure should align with the traditional May to June period, historically observed by fishers due to naturally rough sea conditions.
Lead researcher Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood from the University of St Andrews explained the study was implemented in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission, Fisheries Committee for the West and Central Gulf of Guinea, and the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana. The project received funding from the PEW Fellows Programme in Marine Conservation.
Fish accounts for approximately 60 percent of animal protein intake in Ghana, with annual per capita consumption estimated at 25 kilogrammes, exceeding the African average of 10.5 kilogrammes and global average of 18.9 kilogrammes. The fisheries sector contributes between 2.6 percent and 5 percent of agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates over one billion United States dollars in foreign exchange annually.
Arthur emphasized that environmental sustainability must align with social equity, particularly for communities whose livelihoods depend entirely on fishing. She disclosed the Ministry is working with district assemblies and chief fishermen to develop bylaws integrating customary conservation practices into local enforcement mechanisms.
The minister acknowledged the need to strengthen traditional governance systems within fishing communities. “We are engaging the district assemblies to work closely with the chief fishermen to come out with bylaws and local governance laws to protect, manage, and enforce conservation measures,” she stated.
Okafor-Yarwood urged the government to introduce livelihood support programmes, particularly for fisherfolk aged 65 and above, to cushion the impact of any future fishing bans.
The findings add complexity to fisheries policy debates in Ghana, where small pelagic species such as sardinella and anchovies face potential collapse, threatening food security for millions. Fishermen interviewed argued that July did not align with indigenous ecological knowledge, which recognizes May and June as a natural fishing lull due to rough sea conditions.
The ministry indicated it will use evidence from the Sankofa Project to inform balanced policy making that protects marine ecosystems while remaining responsive to coastal livelihood realities.
