Ghana has launched a three-year initiative aimed at strengthening sustainable fisheries governance and improving compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

The project, funded by the World Trade Organization Fish Fund and implemented in partnership with the Global Fisheries and Resilience Action (GFRA), was officially unveiled at a high-level stakeholder meeting in Accra involving the Fisheries Commission and other key actors in the fisheries sector.

The initiative is designed to promote transparency, accountability, and resilience within Ghana’s fisheries industry while addressing harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Officials say the programme will also ensure the long-term sustainability of marine resources and protect the livelihoods of coastal communities dependent on fishing.

The implementation framework will focus on five key pillars, including subsidies reform, biological sustainability, livelihood protection, equitable value chain distribution, and strengthened governance systems.

As part of early implementation steps, the first tranche of funding has already been released, and an 11-member steering committee has been constituted to oversee coordination, stakeholder engagement, and quarterly performance reviews.

Authorities say the project reinforces Ghana’s commitment to meeting its international obligations while safeguarding marine ecosystems and supporting economic development in the fisheries sector.