The Secretary of the Ghana Tuna Association (GTA), Mr Richster Amarfio has called for an ocean governance policy that will bind all agencies with the mandate to manage the country’s marine space.

He said due to the varied interest, activities and influences in the sector, Ghana could properly govern the maritime space with an apex body.

He said this following the washing ashore of fishes, and melon-headed whales at Osu and Axim.

According to him, Ghana currently has an amorphous governance arrangement for the management of the ocean. He stated that such situation made it difficult to hold someone accountable for such occurrences.

Mr Amarfio said the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) is generally considered the land lord of the ocean. It is an appendage of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), he noted.

He noted that GMA has largely been responsible for the governance of the ocean. They perform functions relating to maritime pollution, vessel safety, and crew training, he noted. GMA is also responsible for issuing certificates to vessels (including fishing vessels) after inspecting their international oil pollution prevention, radio safety, and vessel safety and equipment, among other things.

He said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a responsibility to ensure that activities would not interfere with the environment. The EPA’s responsibilities include protecting the marine environment as well, he noted.

Call for an Apex body towards marine safety

The Secretary noted that the various institutions that interact with the ocean for their activities could play roles in ensuring marine safety. He therefore called on the institutions to come together under one body to ensure the safety of the marine environment.

Mr Amarfio observed that the Fisheries Commission has a responsibility to manage all human activities concerning the fisheries resources of Ghana, both in the ocean and the riverine system. Also, the Commission has the mandate to regulate the types of fishing, when to fish and how to fish. They also regulate how much efforts could be allowed based on available fisheries resources, he added.

The Secretary stated that the Commission even has the power to demand a fisheries impact assessment. Specifically, the Commission requests the assessment if a project may have a substantial impact on the fisheries resources, he noted.

He said the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) have joint responsibility for the hydrocarbon industry. The National Communication Authority (NCA) is responsible for the fibre-optic cables buried in the benthic of the ocean, he added.

He said the civil society, the media, among others must also take a serious interest in the activities of the ocean to help safeguard it for the benefit of everyone.