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Ghana Launches IEZ Enforcement and Transparency Project to Strengthen Fisheries Governance Under New Fisheries Act
A consortium led by GFRA, in collaboration with EJF and Hen Mpoano, will convene national stakeholders at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel to mark the formal commencement of the IEZET project to support implementation of Act 1146.
Accra, Ghana | 20 April 2026
GFRA, in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and Hen Mpoano (HM), will officially launch the IEZ Enforcement and Transparency Policies Implementation (IEZET) project at a stakeholder engagement workshop on 23 April 2026 at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra. The launch marks the formal commencement of a three-year consortium effort — funded by Oak Foundation and Oceans 5 — to support the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture in operationalising Ghana’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146).
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur, is expected to attend and to formally announce the commencement of the IEZET project — a signal of the Government’s commitment to translating the ambitions of Act 1146 into practical reform on Ghana’s waters. The Fisheries Commission and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture will co-host the workshop alongside the implementing consortium.
The workshop will bring together representatives from government ministries, enforcement agencies, fisheries associations, coastal communities, civil society, academia, and regional organisations to receive an overview of the project’s scope and strategic context, hear from the Fisheries Commission on the key provisions and stakeholder implications of Act 1146, and engage with the Ministry’s planned roadmap for consultations on the draft fisheries regulations. An afternoon stakeholder dialogue session will draw on participants’ perspectives, concerns, and recommendations on IEZ enforcement, transparency, and the regulatory process.
“The IEZET project exists because a landmark law like Act 1146 will only deliver change when it is translated into enforceable regulations, functional institutions, and informed communities. Our role as a consortium is to support that translation, working alongside the Ministry, the Fisheries Commission, and Ghana’s fishing communities to ensure that the expansion of the IEZ, the transparency provisions, and the marine protected areas become lived realities on Ghana’s waters”- Socrates Segbor, Country Director, GFRA
The IEZET project comprises four components: strengthening enforcement of the expanded Inshore Exclusive Zone (IEZ), which has been extended from six to twelve nautical miles; advancing transparency and accountability in fisheries governance through vessel registries, licensing, and beneficial ownership provisions; enhancing the institutional capacity and coordination of the Fisheries Commission, judiciary, and enforcement agencies; and supporting the development of a National Marine Protected Area Policy, and laying the foundation for a Volta Estuary MPA at Anyanui.
Act 1146 represents a significant legislative reform of Ghana’s fisheries sector to address its well-documented pressures: declining small pelagic fish stocks, the persistence of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and governance gaps that have long undermined both conservation and the livelihoods of artisanal fishing communities. The IEZET project is designed to support the Act’s operationalization, and provide the technical, legal, and community-level foundation that effective implementation requires.
Notes to Editors
The Official Launch and Stakeholder Engagement Workshop takes place on 23 April 2026, 08:30 – 15:45, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra.
For interview requests, photography access, or further information, please contact GFRA at communications@gfra.global. Kindly note that attendance at this event is strictly by invitation only.
About GFRA
GFRA LBG — Global Fisheries and Resilience Action — is a non-governmental organisation committed to sustainable development and community resilience, with a particular focus on coastal communities and marine ecosystems. Operating at the intersection of technical implementation, policy advocacy, and multi-stakeholder convening, GFRA provides technical, policy, and extension support while promoting integrated and inclusive management of coastal and marine environments.
About the IEZET Project
The IEZET project, led by GFRA, in collaboration with EJF and Hen Mpoano, and funded by Oak Foundation and Oceans 5, is supporting the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to operationalise the 2025 Fisheries and Aquaculture Act through enforcement of the extended IEZ and transparency policy requirements.
