Takoradi, March 4, GNA - Our Coast (Hen Mpoano), a

publication about coastal areas in the Western Region, was

launched at Takoradi on Thursday. It was prepared by the Coastal Resources Centre (CRC),

Ghana, University of Rhode Island and Sustaina-Metrix with

sponsorship from the United States Agency for International

Development (USAID). The Rev Fr Francis Grant, Secretary to the Most Reverend

Martin Darko, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi

-Takoradi, launched the publication. Mr. Mark Fenn, Chief Executive of CRC, said the

publication formed part of the 93Hen Mpoano Initiative"aimed

at setting the stage for an integrated approach to the

governance of coastal districts and inshore fishing grounds of

the Western Region. He said 93Hen Mpoano" was an expression of ecosystem

approach to coastal governance being implemented in

partnership with the Friends of the Nation. Mr. Fenn said the publication highlighted the challenges

confronting coastal areas and the way forward.

Mr. Emmanuel Ohene Marfo, the Deputy Regional

Fisheries Officer, said the region contributes a third of the

annual catch of about 300,000 tonnes of the country's fish. He said a third of fish consumed annually are imported and

the catching, smoking and distribution of small pelagics are the

major economic activities in coastal communities in the region.

Mr. Marfo said these opportunities are now being

threatened by the crisis in the country's fisheries and as

pointed out in the publication, major stocks were being over

fished and there were competition between artisanal, semi-

industrial and industrial fishermen. He said catch per unit effort was dwindling and there was

decline in stocks and this required management of the open

access and the fishermen operating it. Awulae Annor Adjaye 111, Omanhene of Western Nzema

Traditional Area, commended the Hen Mpoano Initiative for

drawing attention to governance issues in coastal areas. He called on stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the

sustainable use of natural resources for the present and future

generations. Awulae Annor Adjaye spoke about the dangers of coastal

erosion and rising sea levels to human habitats and ecological

life along the coast and called for timely interventions to avert

future disasters. Nana Bozza IX, Chief of Akatakyie, called on Metropolitan,

Municipal and District Assemblies to stop constructing public

places of convenience along beaches because it encourages

people to defecate on the beaches. He said the assemblies along the coast should also find

alternative means of disposing of human excreta instead of

dumping them into the sea. Nana Bozza said the assemblies have no excuse for doing

so because assemblies in the hinterlands had means of

disposing of human excreta.