The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing an amount of $24 million funding to restore Ghana’s coastal fisheries, says the Minister of Fisheries and Aqua­culture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson.

She explained that the purpose of the funding was targeted at improv­ing ocean conservation along the coast areas as well as driving positive change across the entire fisheries value chain.

Koomson said this in a speech read on her behalf on Tues­day in Accra at a stakeholder’s sym­posium aimed at promoting hygienic and high-quality fish for Ghanaians.

It brought together key stake­holders, including policymakers, researchers, industry-academia, and community representatives to discuss and address the critical issues surrounding fish safety and sustain­ability in Ghana.

The symposium also allowed the participants to discuss the safe fish certification and licensing scheme’s implementation successes, challeng­es, and strategies for ensuring the safety of fish.

Koomson stated that the USAID, through the United States government, was the largest bilateral development partner of the govern­ment, stressing that in 2023, bilateral assistance from the USAID was over $140 million.

She explained that the $140 million was used to support the Ghanaian economy in areas but not limited to agriculture, education, economic growth, and governance, which had witnessed positive results in the economy.

She added that through govern­ment assistance from the USAID, the fishing industry had witnessed some positive developments, such as appropriate handling and pro­cessing methods to maintain fish quality.

Furthermore, Koomson indicated that the Ministry, in partnership with USAID, was working closely with key stakehold­ers to clamp down on illegal fishing practices, which threatened public health and as well undermined the foundation of the country’s fisher­ies sector.

She mentioned that a post-harvest management and trade programme of the Fisheries Commission (FC) was also ensuring fishermen practice sustainability, and preserve marine and inland resources in order to ensure the availability of safe and hygienic fish.

“Let us work together to en­sure that the fish we produce and consume is not only a source of nourishment but also a symbol of our commitment to fish safety, as well as a healthier and more sustain­able future.

The Ministry and the Commission recognise the urgent need to address the challenges faced in the sector to improve the fishing industry, which massively serves as a source of livelihood to many Ghanaians,” she mentioned.

The Acting Deputy Mission Director of the USAID/Ghana, Andrew Read, said about 3,500 women fish processors and trad­ers from the coastal communities had been trained in hygienic fish handling and processing, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.

He noted that the USAID, in part­nership with the various agencies under the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, had inspected 300 fish processing facilities and granted 191 safe fish certificates.

“One thing we have learnt since the launch of the safe fish cer­tification scheme in 2022 is that certification alone will not solve the challenges ahead.

Collectively, we must invest in capacity building and training programmes to empower the local fishermen and processors with the knowledge and skills to comply with these standards effectively,” Read noted.