By: Kwadwo Kyei Yamoah, Executive Director: HELP Foundation Africa. Convener: Fisheries Alliance / CSOs SDG 14 Platform, (+233 244817020) kkyeiyams@gmail.com.
Executive Summary
Ghana’s fisheries sector supports over 3 million livelihoods and provides more than 60 percent of national animal protein. Yet the sector faces a severe decline in fish stocks due to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, poor governance, weak monitoring, etc. The 2026 National Budget offers several useful starting point; particularly investments in fishing harbours, aquaculture, livelihoods, etc. but budget lacks explicit funding for enforcement, surveillance, scientific research, and traceability that are essential to reverse depletion.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 Budget allocates significant funds for fishing infrastructure and aquaculture:
• Fishing Harbours & Fish Markets – GH¢100 million (CAPEX)
• Women & Youth in Aquaculture – GH¢100 million
• Fishing Inputs & Outboard Motors – GH¢50 million
• Fisheries Commission & MoFAD recurrent and CAPEX allocations - These provide a foundation for sustainable management, but without matching investment in monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), vessel tracking, stock assessment, and prosecution capacity, Ghana risks losing control of its marine resources.
- Strategic redirection of even 20 percent of existing sector allocations toward enforcement, science, and digital monitoring could yield major gains in stock recovery and revenue.
Why should we care
Effective IUU control improves:
- Food security and livelihood resilience in coastal communities.
- Revenue retention: Ghana currently loses an estimated US $200 million annually to IUU fishing.
- Biodiversity protection and alignment with SDG 14 and Blue Economy priorities.
Positive Actions in the 2026 Budget
(Based on Ghana 2026 Budget Statement — CAPEX Appendices and MDA Allocations)
| Budget Item | Allocation (GH¢) | Budget Reference |
| Fishing Harbour and Fish Markets | 100,000,000 | Appendix 4A – MoFAD CAPEX (p. 263–265 approx.) |
| Women and Youth in Aquaculture | 100,000,000 | MoFAD CAPEX list (p. 263) |
| Fishing Inputs & Outboard Motors | 50,000,000 | MoFAD CAPEX list (p. 263) |
| Fisheries Commission – Goods & Services + CAPEX | (recurrent allocation) | MDA Expenditure Appendix (p. 180–182 approx.) |
| AI & Digital Transformation in Ports | national AI programme under MoC/MoF (p. 40–45 approx.) | Demonstrates political interest in AI-based risk profiling that could extend to fisheries monitoring. |
Interpretation
These allocations reflect government intent to modernise the sector. Fishing harbours and aquaculture programmes can be leveraged to integrate electronic catch documentation, port inspection, and digital registration systems.
However, without deliberate linkages to MCS enforcement and fisheries science, infrastructure alone will not reduce IUU fishing.
Gaps and Challenges of the 2026 National Budget
1. No dedicated MCS (Monitoring, Control & Surveillance) funding.
No line items for patrol vessels, surveillance drones, VMS systems, or patrol fuel. Enforcement relies on donor-funded or ad-hoc operations.
2. Weak investment in fisheries science and stock assessment.
The Budget omits funding for data collection or scientific surveys essential to rebuild depleted stocks.
3. Traceability and observer programmes missing.
Fishing harbours are funded, but no allocation for electronic catch documentation (e-CDT), observer schemes, or landing inspection personnel.
4. Limited prosecution and legal-enforcement capacity.
No dedicated funds for training prosecutors, evidence management, or coordination with EOCO/Attorney-General for fisheries offences.
5. Poor control of subsidised premix fuel.
Diversion of Premix undermines artisanal fishers; the budget funds the Premix Fuel Secretariat but not monitoring or digital audit systems.
6. Lack of regional cooperation and port-state-measures support.
IUU fishing is transboundary, but the budget shows no funds for ECOWAS collaboration or PSMA implementation.
7. Over-emphasis on infrastructure and input subsidies.
While visible, these capital projects risk overshadowing the “software” of governance—data systems, enforcement, and community management.
Recommendations, Indicative Costing & Donor Entry Points
| Priority Action | Description / Justification | Indicative Cost (GH¢ millions) | Possible Funding Source / Partner Entry Point |
| A. Create a dedicated MCS Fund | Acquire & maintain patrol vessels (4), surveillance fuel, small drones, training. | 120 (one-off CAPEX + annual OPEX 30) | Reallocate 20 % of harbour CAPEX + donor co-financing (World Bank, EU PESCAO, Norway). |
| B. National VMS/AIS System | Mandatory vessel tracking; central monitoring centre; AI analytics. | 40 (start-up + annual 10 for maintenance) | Digitalisation fund under MoC + Blue Economy programmes. |
| C. Electronic Catch Documentation & Port Inspection | Integrate e-CDT in funded harbours; training of inspectors. | 25 (initial) | Tie to GH¢ 100 M harbour CAPEX budget. |
| D. Fisheries Science & Stock Assessment Programme | Finance annual acoustic surveys, data labs, research vessels. | 30 per year | MoFAD recurrent budget + Donor (FAO, JICA). |
| E. Fisheries Enforcement & Prosecution Unit | Special training, forensic equipment, legal coordination. | 10 per year | Ministry of Justice / UNODC support. |
| F. Digitise Premix Fuel Distribution | Smart card or biometric system to track distribution & prevent diversion. | 8 (start-up) | MoF Digitalisation Fund + Energy Sector Levy. |
| G. Observer / E-Monitoring Programme | Cameras on large vessels; stipends for observers. | 20 (start-up) | Public-Private partnership with industrial fleet & donor support. |
| H. Regional Cooperation and PSMA Support | ECOWAS coordination fund; joint patrols; training. | 5 per year | ECOWAS Fisheries Unit / Donor Trust Fund. |
Total Indicative Cost (Full Package): ≈ GH¢ 258 million (US $20 million)
(Equivalent to roughly 0.05 % of national expenditure, this is affordable and will give high impact.)
Expected Outcomes when Recommendations are implemented
- 60 % reduction in IUU incidents reported by Fisheries Commission.
- Full VMS coverage for industrial vessels; 50 % for semi-industrial fleet.
- Stock biomass for Sardinella and Anchovy up by 20 %.
- 5,000 fishers shifted into aquaculture and other livelihoods.
Donor Entry Points
- World Bank / Blue Economy Programme – Co-finance MCS Fund and VMS.
- EU PESCAO / FAO EAF-Nansen – Support stock assessment and scientific monitoring.
- UNDP / Resilient Coastal Communities Initiative – Livelihoods and governance integration.
- Norwegian NORAD & KfW – Port inspection equipment and training.
Conclusion
The 2026 Budget lays strong foundations for a modernised fisheries economy, but to truly turn the tide, Ghana must complement infrastructure and livelihood spending with strong enforcement, science, digital monitoring, and governance investment.
Redirecting a modest share of current allocations and mobilising targeted donor support could make Ghana a regional leader in sustainable fisheries management, with solid proof of protecting livelihoods, food security, and marine biodiversity for generations.
