Africa

As part of the communication strategy, SFMP organized the Editors/morning show hosts luncheon to create the enabling environment for the senior Journalists and players in the fisheries sector to interact and share knowledge on the fisheries sector and also help the senior Journalists understand and appreciate the deeper issues facing Ghana to be able to effectively generate quality reports on them. It was also to appeal to the editors/morning show hosts to prioritize reportage and discussions in the fisheries sector. This is to help put issues in the fisheries sector in the spotlight to generate discussions in the media landscape. This event brought together over 30 senior journalists and morning show hosts to enable them to understand and appreciate fisheries development issues and be able to lead discussions on them and assign reporters to cover fisheries-related events in order to churn out quality news reports.

This year’s World Fisheries Day was celebrated by fisherfolks represented by the major fisheries associations of Ghana on Tuesday November 22nd, 2016 in Cape Coast. The Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) led the organization of the event in partnerships with the following associations: • Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association (GIFA), • Ghana Industrial Fisheries Association (GITA), • National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA). The Sustainable Fisheries Management Project sponsored the event with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the Fisheries Commission (FC). The theme chosen for the event was: “Empowering fisherfolks for sustainable Fisheries”.

This report details the responses collated from the four coastal regions in the phase two of SFMP dialogue series dubbed Fisher-to-Fisher dialogue (F2F). 1406 fisherfolk made up of chief fishermen, canoe owners, fishermen and fish processors were engaged in discussions on how to sustain their livelihood in line with the objectives of the NFMP. The discussions focused on four management measures outlined in the NFMP for the Artisanal fishery, namely: • Moratorium on new entrants of canoes, • Registration and embossment. • Implementation of additional non-fishing day. • Proposed closed season.

In order to effectively work together to ensure that the project’s interventions are making positive impacts, it has become necessary to undertake periodic coordination meetings to ensure adequate collaboration and integration of roles towards achieving the goal of the project’s interventions under CLaT. This last quarter meeting which ends all CLAT activities for the project was focused on reviewing work done over the four year term of the project and identified, successes, challenges and opportunities for further interventions.

A key platform for global advocacy against child labor is the marking of the World Day against Child Labor (WDACL). The day, which is observed on June 12th, is intended to provide an opportunity to gain awareness and action to tackle Child Labor. The annual celebration also affords assessment of progress and a strategic global focus on a particular aspect of child labor. By protecting children it helps to give all of them an equal opportunity to fulfill their potential and live healthy, happy and productive lives. The Sustainable Fisheries Management Project has since its inception in September 2014, commemorated the day mostly in the Central Region and within the fisheries sector because research has identified the region as a source area for recruiting children. This year, 2018, SFMP collaborated with the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and the National Steering Committee on CLAT (NSCCL) to commemorate the celebration at Cape Coast. The celebration started with a quiz competition amongst 5 JHS schools within the region and a sensitisation and CLaT booklet distribution for two fishing community schools in Cape Coast. The main durbar was preceded with a placard walk in the principal streets of Cape Coast, by school children, educating residents on CLaT issues. The durbar was graced by government officials, political figures, traditional leaders, development partners, schools, fishers and community members.