FAO and the Fisheries Commission held workshop on co-management structures and local governance frameworks in Ghana’s inland waters
30/09/2026, Ghana
The Fisheries Commission in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) held a workshop on co-management structures and local governance frameworks in Ghana’s inland waters from 23 to 24 June 2026. This activity was carried out under project “Enhancing equitable, climate-resilient and sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) through the SSF Guidelines implementation” funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
The project, seeks to build on the previous work done in the country on co-management structures to formalize and operationalize co-management in three project communities, including; Dzemeni in the Volta region, Akateng in the Eastern region and Tapa Abotoase in the Oti region.
The Fisheries Commission with support from FAO piloted co-management awareness and structure creation in Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase in 2023. The structures were based on the governance arrangements in line with the National Fisheries Co-Management Policy and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).
The Oti Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Mr. Wendell Quartey-Papafio, on behalf of the Volta Regional Director, in his welcome address, noted that the Volta Lake sustains the livelihoods of thousands of households in the region, but faces growing pressure from overfishing, illegal fishing practices, gear conflicts, and climate change. “No regulation crafted in an office can substitute for the knowledge and collective commitment of the men and women who fish in these waters. That is why your presence here today matters", he added.
Participants were taken through the benefits of co-management committees in inland fisheries resource management, the national legal framework for co management structures in Ghana, the co-management structures and governance framework: Asuogyaman District Co-management bye laws as a case study. The case study of Tanzania Beach Management Committee which was presented online by Dr. Edward Rukunya from the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization.
Representatives from Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase delivered presentations on the status of the 2023 co-management activities and what has changed since 2023 including fishing gear use, conflicts, water levels, catches and other pertinent issues in their various communities.
Participants delivered presentations demonstrating the establishment of renewed and formally recognized co-management committees. They were also tasked to develop a co-management action plan for their communities which must include targets, responsibilities, timelines, and capacity needs.
In his closing remarks, Mr. William Agbenu, Volta Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission expressed his profound gratitude to the FAO for their continuous support and stressed that the action plans developed will only succeed if stakeholders reflect the realities on the ground and carry full ownership of the communities they serve for a sustainable inland fisheries sector.
Participants reaffirmed commitment to set up co-management committees and operationalize co-management in Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase.
The next steps are to develop and deliver tailored capacity-building training for the three communities whiles all the three communities will provide feedback after engaging with their respective wider communities about the setting up of the co-management committees by the end of September 2026.
The project, seeks to build on the previous work done in the country on co-management structures to formalize and operationalize co-management in three project communities, including; Dzemeni in the Volta region, Akateng in the Eastern region and Tapa Abotoase in the Oti region.
The Fisheries Commission with support from FAO piloted co-management awareness and structure creation in Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase in 2023. The structures were based on the governance arrangements in line with the National Fisheries Co-Management Policy and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).
The Oti Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Mr. Wendell Quartey-Papafio, on behalf of the Volta Regional Director, in his welcome address, noted that the Volta Lake sustains the livelihoods of thousands of households in the region, but faces growing pressure from overfishing, illegal fishing practices, gear conflicts, and climate change. “No regulation crafted in an office can substitute for the knowledge and collective commitment of the men and women who fish in these waters. That is why your presence here today matters", he added.
Participants were taken through the benefits of co-management committees in inland fisheries resource management, the national legal framework for co management structures in Ghana, the co-management structures and governance framework: Asuogyaman District Co-management bye laws as a case study. The case study of Tanzania Beach Management Committee which was presented online by Dr. Edward Rukunya from the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization.
Representatives from Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase delivered presentations on the status of the 2023 co-management activities and what has changed since 2023 including fishing gear use, conflicts, water levels, catches and other pertinent issues in their various communities.
Participants delivered presentations demonstrating the establishment of renewed and formally recognized co-management committees. They were also tasked to develop a co-management action plan for their communities which must include targets, responsibilities, timelines, and capacity needs.
In his closing remarks, Mr. William Agbenu, Volta Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission expressed his profound gratitude to the FAO for their continuous support and stressed that the action plans developed will only succeed if stakeholders reflect the realities on the ground and carry full ownership of the communities they serve for a sustainable inland fisheries sector.
Participants reaffirmed commitment to set up co-management committees and operationalize co-management in Dzemeni, Akateng, and Tapa Abotoase.
The next steps are to develop and deliver tailored capacity-building training for the three communities whiles all the three communities will provide feedback after engaging with their respective wider communities about the setting up of the co-management committees by the end of September 2026.