Ghana reforms fisheries laws to improve international standing

Emelia Arthur, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Ghana, introduced a new legal framework to overhaul the country's fishing sector.

Since taking office in January 2025, Arthur has worked to address declining fish stocks, illegal fishing, and a pending yellow card from the European Union regarding fish exports. She replaced the 2002 Fisheries Act with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), which creates a Fisheries Enforcement Unit and a Fisheries Development Fund.

The new law doubles the Inshore Exclusion Zone from six to 12 nautical miles to reserve coastal waters for artisanal canoes. Arthur also established the first Marine Protected Area at Greater Cape Three Points in April 2026, which covers 704 square kilometres and benefits 21 communities. To support local fishers, she increased premix fuel supply by 58 per cent over 2025 and completed 138 automated stations. She also launched the Small-Scale Fishers’ Forum and a 10-year Blue Economy Action Plan.

Arthur has used these domestic reforms to position Ghana as a leader in ocean governance on the international stage. She represented Ghana at the FAO Committee on Fisheries in Rome and the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, where she advocated for African aquatic food production. In August 2026, the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) approved Ghana as an implementing country, praising Arthur's leadership.

She also signed a partnership with Norway to address ocean data deficits and agreed on regional vessel records with Nigeria.