This is the Final Report of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana, covering the period September 4, 2009 to January 13, 2014. PW016
read moreThis document describes the success of a Ghanaian radio drama that entertained and educated the public regarding fisheries and integrated coastal management issues and helped influence changes in behavior and attitudes.
read moreThis document outlines the successful process and outcome from the involvement of local communities in the development of integrated coastal management toolkits at the district level that have become national models in Ghana.
read moreThis document outlines the success in strengthening the prosecution chain for fisheries enforcement in Ghana.
read moreThis document discusses the success in developing the capabilities of Ghana's marine police, which in turn increased local communities confidence in the units and improved fisheries enforcement.
read moreThe Univerisity of Cape Coast Department of Geography and Regional Planning carried out the following activities: • Develop General reference maps for the six coastal districts; • Prepare Land use Maps for Shama District; • Conduct Vulnerability Assessment and Generate Flood Risk Maps for focal areas in Shama (Inchaban and Anlo Beach); and • Identify, Classify and map shoreline features In Shama District. This report captures the details of activities undertaken by the DGRP in respect of the issues under the four key activities. It also summarizes the respective deliverable products produced under each task.
read moreThis issue brief highlights the key issues facing Ghana’s Western Region in terms of coastal flooding in low-lying areas as well as shoreline erosion, and recommends policy options to improve public safety and reduce environmental impacts.
read moreThis document is the compilation of the research and planning information generated during the four year Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Project. It summarizes key findings, presents maps and case studies and provides abstracts of more than 25 technical reports, all from the perspective of the District. The toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how fisheries and coastal management issues can be incorporated into the District’s mid-term development plan and spatial development framework. Accompanying the document distributed to each District is a CDROM with electronic copies of all the reference materials covered in the text.
read moreThis document is the compilation of the research and planning information generated during the four year Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Project. It summarizes key findings, presents maps and case studies and provides abstracts of more than 25 technical reports, all from the perspective of the District. The toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how fisheries and coastal management issues can be incorporated into the District’s mid-term development plan and spatial development framework. Accompanying the document distributed to each District is a CDROM with electronic copies of all the reference materials covered in the text.
read moreThis document highlights the process of Conservation Management Scenario Development for the Greater Amanzule Wetlands. The Greater Amanzule Wetlands stretches from the Ankobra River estuary to the Ivory Coast border and covers the coastal plains of the Ellembelle and Jomoro Districts and to a little extent, the Nzema East District. Due to its rich biodiversity features, it remains a critical area of concern to many stakeholders (particularly Traditional Authorities and Civil society groups) but it is yet to have a formal conservation status.
read moreThis document reviews a range of customary laws, beliefs and practices for governing the Greater Amanzule wetlands system shared by Jomoro and Ellembelle Districts in Ghana’s Western Region.
read moreThis document is the compilation of the research and planning information generated during the four year Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Project. It summarizes key findings, presents maps and case studies and provides abstracts of more than 25 technical reports, all from the perspective of the District. The toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how fisheries and coastal management issues can be incorporated into the District’s mid-term development plan and spatial development framework. Accompanying the document distributed to each District is a CDROM with electronic copies of all the reference materials covered in the text.
read moreThis document is the compilation of the research and planning information generated during the four year Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Project. It summarizes key findings, presents maps and case studies and provides abstracts of more than 25 technical reports, all from the perspective of the District. The toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how fisheries and coastal management issues can be incorporated into the District’s mid-term development plan and spatial development framework. Accompanying the document distributed to each District is a CDROM with electronic copies of all the reference materials covered in the text.
read moreThese three case studies illustrate how climate change adaptation, hazard mitigation and coastal management best practices can be applied in the case of three coastal communities in Ahanta West District in Ghana’s Western Region that are facing a number of threats. The locations include the beautiful lagoon and beach systems of Princes Town, and the fish landing communities of Dixcove and Akwidaa.
read moreThis document is the compilation of the research and planning information generated during the four year Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Project. It summarizes key findings, presents maps and case studies and provides abstracts of more than 25 technical reports, all from the perspective of the District. The toolkit also provides detailed guidance on how fisheries and coastal management issues can be incorporated into the District’s mid-term development plan and spatial development framework. Accompanying the document distributed to each District is a CDROM with electronic copies of all the reference materials covered in the text.
read moreThe ICFG established partnerships with a number of civil society organizations in six coastal districts of the Western Region of Ghana through award small grants. The purpose was to assist them to implement community based projects that would contribute to realizing the objectives of the Hen Mpoano initiative. The program covered the period 2010 to 2012 with 21 civil society groups receiving financial support. Activities under the small grants scheme focused in most cases on wetlands conservation, ecotourism, behavior change and diversified livelihood. At end of the grant period a survey was carried out to gather information the documentation of the results achieved and lessons learned during the implementation of the small grants scheme.
read moreIn 2011 and 2012, Hen Mpoano assessed 77 Western Region coastal communities in the Districts of Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East and Ahanta West to gain an understanding of both the concerns and capacity reveals that adaptive capacity is greatly dampened in coastal communities, which are already enduring economic problems related to reliance on access to farmland, fish and natural resources. Some locations are faring better than others for some dimensions of adaptation capacity, but overall coastal communities have weak ability to respond to emergencies generated by natural hazards, suffer social and economic development challenges that will only be worsened, and have a relatively low ability to manage coastal areas and resources in a way that will assure sustained productivity and environmental quality.
read moreThis report outlines the accomplishments and lessons learned through piloting integrated sanitation and livelihood improvement interventions in four coastal communities in the Western Region of Ghana by Daasgift Quality Foundation. It highlights the issues of plastic waste management in coastal communities and describes the business model applied to facilitate household income generation through plastic waste management in the target communities. The way forward for improving plastic waste management in coastal communities is suggested to inform similar and future initiatives in other parts of the country.
read moreThis report outlines the accomplishments and lessons learned through the implementation of integrated Population, Health and Environment (PHE) initiatives by the Central and Western Fishmongers Improvement Association (CEWEFIA) in seven coastal communities in Ghana’s Western Region. The report elaborates on the socio-environmental context in the communities before the piloted interventions and the relevance of PHE as an approach for addressing the issues faced by the target communities and associated ecosystems. The way forward for improving PHE programmes in such communities is suggested to inform similar actions in other parts of the country and elsewhere in the world.
read moreThis is an initial Coastal Resilience Plan for Akwidaa and Ezile Bay which aims to make the coastal community more resilient (less vulnerable) in the short, medium and long term. It provides an overview of the planning context and describes the key coastal features and their physical characteristics. A vulnerability assessment based on this information, focusing on the adaptive capacity in key facets including economic, social, governance and physical. A set of short and longer term actions are identified in conjunction with the community to improve its adaptive capacity and strengthen overall resilience.
read moreDocument records wetlands conservation byelaws in four districts in Ahanta West District
read moreThe peat swamp forests of the Amanzule Wetlands and Ankobra River basin is a truly unique landscape. Threats to the peat swamp forest, while still minimal, may be mounting, particularly in the form of small-scale artisanal logging, firewood harvesting, and conversion to food crops like maize and cassava. As demonstrated by this study, these anthropogenic activities have a detrimental impact on the ecosystem’s ability to store and sequester carbon, as well as on biodiversity and nutrient dynamics. Therefore, conservation of this intriguing and rare landscape is crucial. While more research is required, it is possible that carbon finance, in the form of REDD+, soil carbon, or climate smart agriculture could form part of a dynamic conservation and livelihood strategy.
read moreOur Coast, Our Future: Western Region of Ghana was the first major product of the Hen Mpoano initiative, published in 2010. It made the case that a process is needed which is grounded in the belief that a fresh approach to the governance of the coast and fisheries will take root only when it addresses issues that are perceived by the people of the place as important. This new, capstone document captures the voices of the leaders, staff and stakeholders engaged in this new process during the period 2010 to 2013. They have worked very hard to make tangible progress toward improved fisheries, marine and coastal governance in the Western Region and have much to say about what works, doesn’t work and why. These lessons learned are accompanied by overviews of the elements of a new governance program for the Western Region that can serve as a model for the nation.
read moreThis document compiles for inter-related studies on fisheries in the Western Region. 1. Illegal, destructive and non-sustainable fishing practices abound in the Central Region and for that matter the coastal areas of the country. Attempts to deal with it might not come cheaply. It will require a great deal of tact, diplomacy, lobbying and education, by-partisans and a well co-ordinated approach. 2. The issue of premix fuel continues to pose a challenge with daily reports of shortages, diversion, corruption and smuggling to neighbouring countries. The methodology helped to elicit possible causes of the current situation of the premix fuel in the country. Following from this, the methodology looked at the research design, the sampling techniques, the data collection methods to be applied and the analysis of the data. 3. The contribution of marine fisheries to Ghana’s economy in terms of GDP, employment, livelihood, food security and poverty reduction of participants cannot ne overstated. Artisanal fishing in particular contributes about 70-80% of the total annual volume of marine catch of the country. Fish stocks have been overexploited as it is a naturally occurring common pool resource with open access. This study investigates the operations of the CBFMCs in the Western Region and identify lessons for future successful operations. 4. The findings of the fourth study are divided into three main parts to reflect the themes and sub-themes that informed the interviews. The themes include but are not limited to the description and traditional beliefs about the sea, sea creatures and sea gods and their influences on fishing.
read moreThis change detection analysis was an attempt to quantify how the land cover had changed in the Amanzule Region between 2002 and 2013. This project leveraged work from an earlier study to develop a baseline land cover map for Ghana’s Western Region as part of the Hen Mpoano Project. Hen Mpoano, or “Our Coast, Our Future” was a three year, USAID-funded endeavor lead by the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Center to develop adaptation strategies for coastal communities. The 2002 land cover map of the region was developed from Landsat TM data with a 30m pixel size, while the 2013 land cover mapping was developed using RapidEye multispectral imagery with a 5m pixel size. This document includes large format versions of the map set.
read moreThis change detection analysis was an attempt to quantify how the land cover had changed in the Amanzule Region between 2002 and 2013. This project leveraged work from an earlier study to develop a baseline land cover map for Ghana’s Western Region as part of the Hen Mpoano Project. Hen Mpoano, or “Our Coast, Our Future” was a three year, USAID-funded endeavor lead by the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Center to develop adaptation strategies for coastal communities. The 2002 land cover map of the region was developed from Landsat TM data with a 30m pixel size, while the 2013 land cover mapping was developed using RapidEye multispectral imagery with a 5m pixel size.
read moreLegislative change is needed in the form of an amendment to the Fisheries Act of 2002 that adds a co-management section as well as fisheries co-management legislation that sets standards and procedures to implement such a plan in Ghana. Such legislation should include explicit language to support the creation of adaptive co-management frameworks at different scales as previously outlined. This needs to include clear roles and responsibilities of the Fisheries Commission regarding the co-management committees. Jurisdictional boundaries (maritime and/or geographical) need to be made explicit to coincide with the authorities granted to co-management committees and user groups. The legislation needs to provide explicit authority of the Fisheries Commission to allocate use rights, where necessary, but with a caveat that such rights come with responsibilities for conservation, environmental protection (e.g. protection of endangered species and critical habitats) and contributions to Ghana’s societal goals as spelled out in national fisheries policy. The Fisheries Commission must also be mandated to establish by legislation criteria concerning these responsibilities and conditions under which use rights can be granted or suspended.
read moreThis is the Annual Report for Year Four (2013) of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW010.
read moreThis Hen Mpoano Issue Brief is the sixth in the series and a sequel to the fourth brief in the series. It seeks to sustain an informed dialogue on fisheries governance in Ghana. This brief outlines some of the outcomes of the 3rd National Fisheries Dialogue held on 26-27 February 2013 at Elmina, Cape Coast Region, Ghana. It describes key elements of a co-management framework for fisheries in Ghana.
read moreThis document provides examples of three types of coastal management bye-laws based upon the experience in Shama district. The first bye-law address flood hazard prevention and mitigation in the Anankwar wetland system in the western-most coastal area. The second bye-law provides protection to the Pra River Estuary and associated wetlands on the easternmost shore. The final bye-law establishes allowable shore uses and protection for critical coastal features along the entire coast of the District. The model bye-laws presented in this document can be adapted to any coastal district in Ghana as they are written with the existing legal framework in mind. In 2013, Shama District was adapting these models with the assistance of legal experts so that they could be formally adopted by the Shama District Assembly.
read moreThe fundamental purpose of designating the six coastal districts of the Western Region as a Joint Coastal Management Area’s is to provide for sustained planning and management that addresses the issues that affect the Western Region’s coastal zone as a whole and cannot be effectively addressed by the coastal districts individually. It provides the districts with an explicit high-level mandate and an additional source of funding to work collaboratively on specified issues posed by development in the Western region’s coastal zone. The joint development planning and management process (J-CAMP) is to manage, preserve, protect, develop, and where possible restore, for this and succeeding generations, the resources of the coastal zone of the Western Region. This would be accomplished through comprehensive and coordinated long range planning and management designed to produce the maximum long-term benefit for society. The sustainable use of socio-ecological systems would be the primary guiding principle upon which alterations and new uses in the coastal zone would be measured, judged and regulated.
read moreIn order to sustain the socio-economic benefits from coastal resources and biodiversity, there was the need for a collaborative approach to management rather than leaving the Fisheries Commission to single-handedly manage the fisheries and coastal resources. A Fisheries Working Group (FWG) was therefore catalyzed by the ICFG Initiative. Its members were carefully selected to comprise representatives of Fishers and State Regulators of the fishing industry, to play an advisory role among others to the Fisheries Commission relative to policy and management issues. In addition to this, the FWG sought to address ineffective communications among fishers and stakeholders including the Petroleum industry.
read moreThis report is the result of the livelihoods baseline survey as part of the USAID-funded Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Program for the Western Region of Ghana (Hen Mpoano). The survey aims to provide a baseline for interventions to be implemented as part of the Hen Mpoano project by: 1. Establishing a baseline of the status of livelihoods of households in target communities (assess income levels and sources, seasonality issues, assets, vulnerability) 2. Establishing a simplified nutritional baseline of households in target communities and fish species consumed 3. Identifying opportunities for livelihood diversification in the target opportunities Income diversification is a means to cope with risks and seasonality related to agriculture and fisheries. Poverty is multi-dimensional as it not only relates to income and consumption levels, but also to a lack of basic needs (access to shelter, health, and sanitation) and the ability to cope with shocks. Understanding poverty therefore requires the analysis to go beyond measuring income, to include factors such as education levels, health status, ownership and control over capital, financial and natural assets and access to social networks. The livelihoods survey conducted for the Hen Mpoano project aimed to encompass all these dimensions.
read moreA 3 half-day training workshop was held March 15-17, 2011 at the Western Naval Command Headquarters, Sekondi for fisheries stakeholders, namely, the Fisheries Commission, Ghana Navy, Ghana Police, Attorney General’s Department. Participants discussed issues within the sector and deliberate on how to improve on prosecution success. This was followed by two different review sessions. In order to achieve increased success rate of prosecution, diverse methodologies were employed during the capacity building workshops and review meetings. The facilitators used a combination of methodologies that enhanced effective impact and transfer of competence and skills. This elicited inputs and promoted sharing of experiences among participants throughout the sessions. The structure used to deliver the sessions included interactive presentations, brainstorming, discussions, as well as questions and answers. Participants shared wide range of perspectives and analyses on issues that emerged from the presentations.
read moreThis document contains a signed stakeholder resolution for the improved and collaborative management of the Amanzule Wetlands shared by Jomoro and Ellembelle Districts in Ghana’s Western Region.
read moreThis report documents recommendations from a primate expert, Robert Horwich of Community Conservation, who visited the region and met with local communities to discuss ways to improve monitoring of the forest reserves and community welfare in the region.
read moreGhana's mangroves continue to reduce in health and coverage, especially in areas outside the five Ramsar designated sites in the country. Moreover, the use of compensatory mechanisms in addressing the exploitation of coastal ecosystems and climate change mitigation is in its nascent stages in Ghana because of the uncertainties in their carbon stock estimates due to uncertainties in their areal extent. The main objective of this study was to apply remote sensing technology to map the past and present areal extent of mangroves in the Ellembelle district in the western region of Ghana, especially in the face of limited data. Three main remotely sensed data were used in the study: a true color orthorectified digital aerial photo (AP); and two satellite data sources ‐ RapidEye and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. Additional data were acquired through a participatory mapping exercise and a GPS survey. Other ancillary data like an existing land use/ land cover map of the area was used for the mapping.
read moreThis is an initial Coastal Resilience Plan for Akwidaa and Ezile Bay which aims to make the coastal community more resilient (less vulnerable) in the short, medium and long term. It provides an overview of the planning context and describes the key coastal features and their physical characteristics. A vulnerability assessment based on this information, focusing on the adaptive capacity in key facets including economic, social, governance and physical. A set of short and longer term actions are identified in conjunction with the community to improve its adaptive capacity and strengthen overall resilience.
read moreIn the short term, the Fisheries Act 2002 can support a limited form of co-management through the establishment of fisheries advisory committees/groups without the need to amend the legislation. However, such committees/groups will have no decision-making powers. In the longer term, however, legislative change either through (a) amendment to the Fisheries Act 2002 by adding a new part on co-management and (b) accompanied by an appropriate Legislative Instrument on co-management will be necessary to implement effective fisheries co-management framework for Ghana.
read moreThe workshop Community Leadership Training: Strengthening Community Leadership Capacity for Sustainable Resource Management was organized as part of the initiatives effort to strengthen capacity of stakeholders to participate in co-management of fisheries. The workshop aimed to equip community leaders with leadership skills for their effective participation in fisheries adaptive co-management, which has been identified by national fisheries stakeholders as the best way forward for reversing the downward trend in fisheries production in Ghana.
read moreThis is the semi-annual report for the Year Four (2013) work plan of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW012.
read moreThe Third National Fisheries Governance Dialogue was a direct follow up on the Second National Fisheries Governance Dialogue held in Elmina in April 2012. It was agreed at the Second dialogue that co-management was the way forward for sustaining Ghana’s fisheries and that its success would depend on a supportive legal framework (Mills et al., 2012).The Third Fisheries Dialogue aimed to: inform stakeholders of the outcomes from the stakeholder consultation process, inform stakeholders on outcomes of the policy analysis, and the steps required to move towards a supportive legal environment for co-management, and provide a forum for discussions of ideas that could feed into the development of a co-management structure and legal framework for Ghana.
read moreThough the government of Ghana has made clear commitments for wetlands management and protection, there remain significant challenges in the implementation of conservation strategies and encroachment and degradation continues to evolve. The Western Region is home to some of the richest and most diverse coastal wetlands areas in Ghana and yet there are no formal mechanisms for their management and protection. These wetlands provide a host of critical functions and services but they are increasingly under threat for accelerated development resulting from the rapidly evolving oil and gas sector and record high commodity prices for a host of products exported from the region. This paper proposes a "way forward" that calls not only for commitment within agencies of government but also the active involvement of civil society and a change in the attitude of the traditional authorities and private sector interests that are fueling, directly or indirectly, the threats to the coastal wetlands of the Western Region. It also suggests mechanisms for managing and protecting vital wetlands resources in the western region
read moreThis brief proposes a dual structure for adaptive fisheries co-management. Building upon the disappointments of earlier attempts at community based fisheries management, it recognizes the differences inherent in the management of highly migratory pelagics while encouraging local management units to develop and implement plans that improve conditions at landing sites and manage artisanal fisheries for non-migratory species in selected near-shore areas.
read moreThis issue brief highlights the key issues facing Ghana’s Western Region in terms of fresh water supply and distribution and recommends policy options to protect water resources and insure equity in their use and distribution.
read moreThis report compiles the proceedings of the training workshop that was organized to introduce and deepen the participants’ conceptual base and understanding of the adaptive co-management concept and equip them with necessary skills for implementing it in practice.
read moreThis brief examines the imperative of integrating voluntary compliance with effective enforcement of fishery regulations to rebuild Ghana ' s severely over exploited fisheries. Around the world, experience has shown that coercive enforcement alone will not produce the effective implementation of fisheries regulations. The enabling conditions necessary for the implementation of fishery reforms must first be created and they are not yet present in Ghana.
read moreBased on the emerging potential of blue carbon as a climate change mitigation mechanism, Coastal Resources Center, a USAID funded project in the south-west of Ghana contracted NCRC to conduct a preliminary assessment of carbon stocks in the mangrove and swamp forest ecosystems in the greater Amanzule wetlands (spanning from the Ankobra River to the western shoreline bordering Cote d’Ivoire). The objective of the assignment was to generate baseline information on total carbon stocks, as well as carbon stock changes associated with various land-use dynamics in the wetlands. The intention was to generate useful data that will give insights for decision-making regarding REDD+ potentials in the landscape. Given the enormous carbon stocks that were recorded in the wetlands, relative to terrestrial forests and land cover, interests in a possible REDD+ initiative were heightened. However, critical data gaps for a viable REDD+ pathway remained unanswered.
read moreA workshop on Fisheries Law and Regulations in Ghana was held on 17 – 18 December, 2012, at the Volta River Authority (VRA) Conference Hall, Shama. The workshop aimed to raise awareness and deepen participants’ understanding of the Fisheries Law and Regulations and their ecological justifications. Ghana’s national fisheries statistics shows that marine fish production has generally been on the decline for the past two decades. The case is not different from what the fishers themselves said during recent surveys conducted in coastal fishing communities in the Western Region of Ghana. Ghana Statistical Service, in January 2013, reiterated that the contribution of fisheries to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has declined and the fisheries sub-sector was one of the worst performers in the year 2012 as far as the economy of the country was concerned. Signs are clear and more people in Ghana are beginning to appreciate that fisheries in Ghana are heading towards a crisis. It is apparent that without reforms in fisheries management in Ghana, the future of the goods and services provided by fisheries in Ghana are by no means assured.
read moreThis brief puts forward options for a nested coastal governance system. These ideas will be refined and augmented by ideas introduced by other papers in the series. The papers will focus on coastal and fisheries issues in the western region to identify their causes, social, economic and environmental implications and how they might be addressed by a strengthened governance system. These briefs draw upon Hɛn Mpoano's "learning by doing" process as it works with communities, districts, governmental agencies and other stakeholders to practically address problems and specific opportunities along the coast and within the fishery. The process and proposal is supported by the advisory council of the Hɛn Mpoano initiative.
read moreThis report details A Rocha Ghana’s engagement with religious leaders in six coastal districts in the Western Region of Ghana from the 12th of December 2011 to the 9th of February 2012. In all, over 123 religious leaders were trained in reference theology on environmental stewardship and creation care. The programme led to the establishments of six interfaith eco-networks in six coastal districts in the western region of Ghana. The programme was a big success and both participants and organisers benefited immensely from the exchanges and experiences shared. The main recommendations for keeping the fire burning is ensuring that the eco-networks which have been established live beyond the lifespan of Hen Mpoano to perform the functions of mobilising religious organisations and advocating for responsible coastal resource use in the Western Region of Ghana.
read moreThe Hen Mpoano Initiative discussed with the Fisheries Commission and the Ghana Police Service (GPS) on ways to support aspects of the training of the newly assembled officers of the MPU on the ecological justifications of the Fisheries Regulations. Approval was sought from USAID to organize short training modules for the unit. A curriculum for the training was approved by the GPS, FC and USAID which paved the way for the training workshop. It consisted of series of lectures, group assignments, presentations and discussions, role plays, and field visits to fish landing sites and fishing communities. The visits were important for the Marine Police Officers (MPOs) as that inducted them into the communities.
read moreThis is the Annual Report for Year Three (2012) of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW010.
read moreThis is the Year Four (2013) work plan for the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Program for the Western Region of Ghana. PW011.
read moreThe Ghanaian Ministry of the Environment worked with The Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) and CRC-Ghana to form a Task Force of collaborating institutions to extend a survey into Cote D’Ivoire in order to more fully describe the ecology of the “green green” bloom and its underlying nutrient source(s).
read moreThis is the semi-annual report for the Year Three (2012) work plan of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW009.
read moreThe land use and land cover map products created in this study are the first available data for the coastal region of Ghana. The maps represent an important step in the management of its natural resources. Land use and land cover maps allow land managers, policy and decision makers, and local communities to make informed decisions about the future of their natural, cultural and economic resources. This set of maps can also provide a window into how the landscape has changed as the baseline data for possible future work. With the baseline data ready, the next step of change analysis will be possible. The choice to use the U.N. Land Cover Classification System also provided the flexibility to meet classification needs in the future while still maintaining continuity with past work.
read moreEcological information on the near shore rocky reef habitats (NSRH) of Ghana is very limited. The present study fills this knowledge gap, by investigating the general status of the NSRH and fisheries of western Ghana, and providing baseline information on the fish, invertebrate and benthic communities.
read moreThis document reports on a WorldFish team activity aimed at planning community engagement for the ICFG initiative. Specifically, the effort helped design a community fora plan for 2012 to be discussed with the project team in Sekondi, including terms of references for the project fisherfolk consultants. Also described are recommendations for supporting material for the community fora to be used by the fisherfolk consultants and tested in the field, along with conducting two community fora in selected study sites.
read moreGhana’s mangrove ecosystems are tremendously valuable, providing ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, protection from storms, floods, and erosion, provision of timber and non-timber forest products, processing of waste and nutrient pollution, aquaculture and agriculture support, and habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species. In the lower Volta, the total estimated value for mangrove related harvesting (fish smoking, house roofing). Yet, like as in many other parts of the world, short-term development needs are undermining long-term mangrove health and survival. Fortunately, economic mechanisms have the potential to tip the balance toward restoration, maintenance, and protection of mangrove forests. The need for proper valuation of mangrove ecosystem services underpins such mechanisms towards the establishment of any realistic payment for ecosystem services scheme in any given mangrove or wetland habitat.
read moreThe objective of this report is to share the preliminary results of WorldFish activities related to these components of the capacity development program. The report first introduces WorldFish approach to capacity development. It then presents the main activities conducted by the Center in 2011: • Training: technical skills for adaptive management of small scale fisheries (May 2011) • Assessing organizational capacity of partners to implement adaptive management. • Creation and strengthening of learning networks through study tours - a positive deviance approach. • Through community meeting and a workshop promotion of reflective learning and building the capacity of partners in the identification and design of projects using a “result-based management” approach
read moreThis is the report of a self-assessment exercise as part of the reporting on Year Two (2011) of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW006
read moreThis is the Annual Report for Year Two (2011) of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW007
read moreThis is the Year Three (2012) work plan for the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Program for the Western Region of Ghana. PW008.
read moreThe assessment of the smoked marine fish value chain assessment in the Western Region, Ghana concludes that there does not seem to be any significant market at present for a premium smoked product. It discusses possible risks with any change to the status quo and makes suggestions for pilot scale interventions.
read moreThis assessment of critical coastal habitats of the Western Region, Ghana, ranks 20 coastal ecosystems and describes 10 of these in detail.
read moreThis is the second and final edition of the project newsletter. It contains numerous short articles and photos featuring the activities of the ICFG project and its partners.
read moreThis is the semi-annual report for the Year Two (2011) work plan of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW005.
read moreFishers changing from multifilament to monofilament nets include perceptions of higher catch efficiency, lower relative cost and ease of use. Commonly stated disadvantages to fishing with monofilament versus multifilament nets is that they take up more space in the fishing boat and in some cases are said to be less durable overall and require more frequent repair than multifilament mesh. Case studies from across the world highlight measures or restrictions that can be applied (sometimes concurrently) to net fisheries to avoid conflicts with other fisheries, to reduce the catch of non‐target or juvenile species, to control fishing capacity, to help recover fish stocks and/or to keep the fishery operating at sustainable levels. Globally the need for buybacks, sometimes called decommissioning schemes, generally arises due to poorly structured property rights, particularly in situations of open access or no property rights. Buybacks, can be used for many reasons36 but in general are used to reduce over‐capacity that has lead to overexploitation or economic inefficiency. Without careful planning expensive buyback programmes may have negative consequences. Employing some clear design principles can help to lead to positive impacts on fisheries and for fishers from buyback schemes.
read moreThis report concludes that any attempt to promote fisheries development and fisheries management reform in Ghana’s Western Region must address a wide range of issues, including an understanding of the dynamics of the fishery, solutions for improved management, promoting pro-poor livelihood opportunities, and building a stronger constituency to tackle these issues in transparent and equitable ways.
read moreThe Hεn Mpoano (Our Coast) initiative is working to set the stage for an integrated approach to the governance of the coastal districts and inshore fishing grounds of Ghana’s Western Region. Hεn Mpoano is a partnership that draws together leaders from government, civil society and business to analyze the issues, assess the options and select courses of action that will contribute to a positive and sustainable future for the coastal zone of this region. This document includes a discussion of the actions that Hεn Mpoano proposes to take over a three-year period in which it hopes to establish and formalize a governance program for the Western Region that can serve as a model for the nation.
read moreThis is the Year Two (2011) work plan for the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Program for the Western Region of Ghana. PW004
read moreReliance on the sea is no different in the Jomoro District's coastal village of Benyin. As you walk along Beyin's scenic coastline or chat with community members, you will quickly learn that their livelihoods are under threat by a seemingly harmless green macroalgae locally referred to as green-green. CRC provided ongoing technical support through refined analysis of the algae that allows for the identification of the nutrient source, whether from the Aby Lagoon, Abidjan's lagoons; or if it is a run-off associated with human waste, agricultural products, industrial sources; or from a change in the upwelling off the coast.
read moreThis report provides information on the conditions and environmental, social and economic issues faced by 89 coastal communities in the six coastal districts of Ghana’s Western Region.
read moreLivelihood diversification in the fishing communities in Ghana’s Western Region requires a focused effort to develop oil or tourism in a way that creates local employment and encourage people to exit fishing, leaving a less-crowded sector, more amenable to gradual change, with a more educated younger generation shifting into other sectors and places.
read moreThis is the first of two issues of the project newsletter. It contains numerous short articles and photos featuring the activities of the ICFG project and its partners.
read moreA rapid appraisal conducted in nine (9) main landing sites in the Nzema East and Ahanta West districts between 14th and 21st September 2010. The communities visited were, Ankobra (Sanwoma), Apewosika (suburb of Axim), Miamia, Princess Akatakyi, Cape Three Points, Akwidaa, Dixcove, Busua and Butre. The purpose of this assessment was to ascertain primary information of the spawning and fishing grounds among others. The research team was made up of two persons; a staff of the Western Regional branch of the Ghana Canoe Fishermen Association and a staff of the Friends of the Nation. Data was collected through focus group discussions, participatory mapping, direct observations and key informants interviews. This report summarizes the key findings from the assessment.
read moreThis is the Annual Report for Year One (2010) of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW003.
read moreThis rapid Biodiversity Assessment on the Essei and Butuah Lagoons and the Whin River Estuary in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis of the Western Region of Ghana concludes that deplorable management, ignorance or conflict of interest on the part of users has led the wetlands onto a path of potentially irreversible destruction. A new type of coastal management thinking and practice are needed that takes into account Ghanaian economic, socio-cultural and environmental perspectives.
read moreThe report identifies opportunities for integrating family planning, health and nutrition interventions into coastal-fisheries governance agendas identified for the coastal districts of Ghana’s Western Region. It summarizes the consultant’s findings and recommendations for integrating FP/RH and other health, nutrition and food security interventions into the ICFG framework.
read moreThis four day program held in April 2010 was designed to discuss and apply the methods being introduced by the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Initiative, building on Training #1 held in February of the same year. Featured modules include the community characterization, shoreline management, biodiversity, fisheries, goals and policies of integrated initiatives, and an interaction with the Advisory Council.
read moreThis review of biodiversity threats in the coastal zone of the Western Region of Ghana covers both terrestrial and marine systems and includes maps and descriptions of important wetlands and habitats.
read moreField visits made to several fish landing sites in the Western Region reveal gender issues that need to be taken into account at every stage of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance project.
read moreThis is the semi-annual report for the Year One (2010) work plan of the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Initiative for the Western Region of Ghana. PW002.
read moreThis three day program in early February 2010 was designed to discuss and apply the methods being introduced by the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Initiative. These include the ecosystem approach, examination of long term trends, analysis of the existing governance system, techniques for assembling a baseline as a reference point for future change and framing strategies for achieving a desirable future in a specific place.
read moreGhana Coastal Fisheries Governance Dialogue: Presentations, discussions and outcomes from a stakeholder forum on issues for reforming governance of Ghana’s coastal fisheries. The second national Fisheries Governance Dialogue aimed to help stakeholders in the fisheries sector generate a shared understanding of critical lessons and pathways for fisheries co-management success in Ghana. The dialogue was held in direct response to the call from both fisheries communities and the government of Ghana for a radical change from the way fisheries resources are currently being managed.
read moreThis is the overall plan for carrying out monitoring and evaluation work for the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance project, and includes details on the governance scorecard methodology used throughout the program to complement the standard USAID indicators. PW014.
read moreThis is the Year One (2010) work plan for the Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Program for the Western Region of Ghana. PW001.
read moreThis document is the original agreement with USAID that established and guided the annual work plan design and implementation of the four year program.PW015.
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