CRC
1 February 2019
Aug 18-21: Conference on Fisheries and Coastal Environment in Accra, Ghana ...read more1 November 2018
Nov 8: CRC to host RIMTA’s Annual MeetingCRC will be hosting the RI Marine Trades Association’s annual ...read more25 October 2018
Nov 8 and Nov 9: Game of FloodsCRC is teaming up with Providence, RI Emergency Management Agency – ...read moreThis report, referred to as “Legacy Set Document”, is an updated collection of relevant policy and management documents and short essays on thematic areas/issues covered during the implementation of the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP). The short essays describe the context at the start of the project, the project implementation approach, results, accomplishments, lessons learned and recommendations for the way forward. The report is organized into three (3) Volumes. Volume 2 covers: post-harvest improvements; gender mainstreaming; and combating child labor and trafficking.
read moreThis report is an assessment of progress on key factors in Ghana’s Marine Fisheries related to improving the governance of the small pelagic coastal fishery and quality of life of people that depend on it for their livelihood. The report examines changes that have occurred in a number of parameters related to the impacts of interventions made by the USAID Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) between the baseline survey in 2015 and a follow-up survey in 2019. It includes information on changes in perceptions of quality of life and the condition of the fishery, household wealth, household hunger, dietary diversity of women of reproductive age, perceptions regarding awareness and compliance with fishing regulations, empowerment of women within the industry, and aspects of child labor and trafficking. While the project was not expected to impact all these measures over life of project, such as overall quality of life or household wealth, such indicators were tracked as an overall trend analysis of the fishery. Changes in post-harvest processing practices supported by the project are not included in this report, although many of the women’s empowerment indicators are related to project activities targeted mainly at women processors and traders such as access to micro-finance and leadership development
read moreOn March 30, 2021, the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) held a lessons-learned event as part of final project close out activities. The three-hour event highlighted seven years of the project’s interventions, challenges, lessons learned which provide valuable inputs for future programing within the fisheries sector in Ghana. In attendance were various stakeholders, officials from USAID, the US Embassy, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Fisheries Commission, the Academia including University of Rhode Island, the parent institution of the SFMP.
read moreAs part of the implementation arrangements of the Co-Management Policy the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission jointly held series of regional stakeholder engagements across the four coastal regions of Ghana in February and March 2021 with the support of USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project. About 150 participants made up of fisheries officers from the MOFAD/FC, officials from Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional rulers, chief fishermen, canoe owners, and fish processors, representatives of the various fisheries associations including National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG) and the Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA) were engaged in discussions on how to sustain Ghana’s fisheries resources through adoption of the National Fisheries Co-Management Policy. The purpose of the stakeholder engagement was to share the content of the National Fisheries Co-Management Policy and discuss the implementation arrangements with all key stakeholders.
read moreIn partnership with local implementing partners Central and Western Fishmongers Improvement Association (CEWEFIA) and Development Action Association (DAA), SFMP engaged potential stakeholders and developed a livelihoods strategy targeting out-of-school youth ages (18 -35 years) to guide the implementation of the livelihoods interventions. This strategy focused on identifying desirable and marketable non-fisheries livelihoods utilizing locally available resources. Based on focus group discussions and key informant interviews with youth representatives from DAA, CEWEFIA and the fisheries apex organizations Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) and National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA), SFMP selected three livelihoods to support: production of handwashing soap, baking of confections, and installation and repairs of digital television and air conditioning.
read moreThe objective of setting up the ad hoc Technical Committee was to provide strategic oversight for the development of appropriate methodologies which could be adopted by Government and Development Partners in providing assistance to poor and vulnerable fisheries dependent households to mitigate economic shocks and stresses particular to the sector, including during the implementation of future fisheries closed seasons, a strategic management measure required to rebuild Ghana’s small pelagic stocks.
read moreThere are currently, over 500 Ahotor ovens constructed and underutilized by fish processors due partly to the low fish catch or user preference. To afford the fisher processors who own an Ahotor oven the opportunity to earn extra income, SFMP through its implementing partners DAA and CEWEFIA explored the possibility of using the Ahotor oven to produce other edible and marketable products using local ingredients. The brief market survey revealed an interest in the consumption of snacks such as fish nuggets (made with local potatoes and fish), fish/beef pasties, coconut cookies, bread rolls and maize dumpling (locally known as ‘abolo’).
read moreIn response to COVID-19, USAID extended SFMP to implement activities to prevent the spread and mitigate the economic effects of COVID-19 among vulnerable households in fishing communities in Ghana. In October 2020, SFMP launched a Supply Chain Disruption Assessment to identify the challenges and opportunities related to any disruptions on fisheries supply chains because of the COVID-19 pandemic. SFMP also assessed impacts of Government of Ghana (GoG) policies and measures to increase social distancing at fish landing sites and domestic seafood markets to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to determine if they reduced fish sales and increased demand for processing or cold storage of fresh fish. Based on the results of the assessment, SFMP would consider new partnerships to tackle supply chain disruptions if significant and feasible within the remaining life of the project.
read moreFriends of the Nation, an implementing partner under the SFMP project monitored some selected beneficiaries in six districts which are Shama, Sekondi Takoradi and Ahanta West Municipality in Western Region and Keta, Ketu South, and Anloga in Volta Region. The monitoring visit aimed at ascertaining the number of times respondents have received the monthly cash transfer, the amount received per cash transfer, and the benefits derived from the money received. It was also to discuss challenges encountered by respondents in retrieving the cash assistance and solicit their recommendation on providing such assistance in the near future. Key findings included that out of the 70 beneficiaries that were supposed to be monitored, only 65 were monitored. The remaining 5 could not be reach on phone. Out of the 65 respondents interviewed, only 57 (87.69%) had received remittance from SFMP and 8 (12.31%) had not received any remittance. Out of the 57 respondents who had received remittances from SFMP, 44 (77.19%) respondents indicated they had received the remittance once and 13 (22.81%) respondents indicated they had received it twice.
read more