Ghana’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Emelia Arthur has pledged to unmask beneficiaries of illegal fishing operations in national waters, declaring ownership transparency critical to ending maritime crimes.
Speaking at the UN Ocean Conference in France, Arthur emphasized that opaque corporate structures shield perpetrators of illegal fishing, forced labor, and trafficking.
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)-hosted event convened ministers from France, Ghana, Maldives, Liberia, Panama, and EU officials. Arthur stated: “Beneficial ownership transparency is essential. Without it, enforcement is a guessing game. With it, we can follow the money and hold the right people accountable.”
West Africa suffers $9.4 billion in annual losses from illegal fishing. EJF research reveals approximately 90% of Ghana’s industrial trawl fleet links to Chinese owners through local ‘front’ companies, circumventing laws banning foreign ownership and licensing. These operators exploit legal gaps to register vessels under Ghanaian flags while hiding ultimate beneficiaries.
EJF CEO Steve Trent endorsed Ghana’s stance: “Transparency leverages justice and sustainability. It protects honest fishers, empowers coastal states, and assures consumers their fish isn’t stolen from communities or caught by slave labor.” The call for global cooperation aligns with EJF’s 2020 findings documenting vessels enabling drug trafficking and bonded labor.
Ghana’s reforms will enforce disclosure of true profit recipients—addressing violations of both legal ownership and beneficial control provisions.
