The European Commission has called on Ghana to take the necessary actions to abide by its international obligations in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The Commission said it had identified various shortcomings in Ghana’s ability to comply with its duties under international law as flag, port, coastal or market state and if not heeded, the nation risked identified as a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

According to the Commission: “The sanctions imposed by Ghana to vessels engaging in or supporting IUU fishing activities are not effective and not an adequate deterrent”.

In a statement issued by the Commission on June 02, 2021 and obtained by the Ghana News Agency at Tema on Thursday, it said: Ghana has therefore been issued with the yellow card, which is fundamental warning offering Ghana the opportunity to react and take measures to rectify the situation within a reasonable time.

“At this stage, the decision does not entail any measures affecting trade. However, in cases of prolonged and continued non-compliance the country can ultimately face a procedure of identification as red card, which entails sanctions such as the prohibition to export fishery products to the EU market,” the statement stated.

The Commission, said it was working to support Ghanaian population on the ground with several capacity building.

Identified shortcomings included; illegal transshipments at sea of large quantities of undersized juvenile pelagic species between industrial trawl vessels and canoes in Ghanaian waters, deficiencies in the monitoring, control and surveillance of the fleet, and a legal framework that is not aligned with the relevant international obligations Ghana had signed up to.

The Commission has therefore advised Ghana to ensure effective monitoring and control of the activities of its fishing vessels and an adequate implementation of its enforcement and sanctioning system.

“It should also ensure a sound fisheries management system in order to prevent fish stemming from IUU fishing activities from reaching its market or others, including; the European one”.

The Commission said illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing was jeopardizing the foundation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and the EU's international efforts to promote better ocean governance.

“Under the European Green Deal and pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, sea and marine resources, the Commission has committed to a zero-tolerance approach to IUU fishing.

“The fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is also an important aspect of the EU Biodiversity Strategy's objective to protect the marine environment”.

The EU, the statement indicated was the world's biggest importer of fisheries products, stating that “the global value of IUU fishing is estimated at 10-20 billion euros per year. Between 11 and 26 million tonnes of fish are caught illegally every year, corresponding to at least 15 per cent of world catches”.

It said since November 2012, the Commission entered in formal dialogues with 27 third countries, officially warned them of the need to take effective action to fight IUU fishing. “In most cases, significant progress was observed and therefore the Commission could satisfactorily close the formal dialogue phase and lift the yellow card. Only a few countries have not shown the necessary commitment to reforms until now.

“According to EU, Ghana received a yellow card in November 2013, which was then lifted in October 2015, after the government addressed the shortcomings.

“The Commission Decision is based on the EU's 'IUU Regulation', which entered into force in 2010. One of the pillars of this Regulation is the catch certification scheme that ensures that only legally caught fisheries products can access the EU market.

“The Regulation also provides for specific dialogue mechanisms with the countries that are not complying with their obligations as flag, coastal, port and market State under international law,” the statement explained.