GFRA LBG and Partners Convene National Workshop to Strengthen Fisher and Fish Worker Participation in Ghana’s Fisheries Reforms
The one-day inclusive governance workshop brings together artisanal fishing associations, fish worker groups, labour unions, civil society, and government actors to advance decent work, fisher and fish worker representation, and stakeholder collaboration to promote sustainable small-scale fisheries.
ACCRA, GHANA — Global Fisheries and Resilience Action (GFRA LBG) is organising an Inclusive Governance Workshop for Sustainable Fisheries and Decent Work on 26 May 2026 at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra. The workshop is being organised as part of the Fisheries Governance Project (FGP) activities, in partnership with Blue Sanctuaries and the Accountability Research Centre (ARC) at American University.
The one-day workshop will bring together more than 40 participants, including artisanal fishing associations, fish worker groups, labour unions, civil society organisations, government agencies, and the media, to strengthen dialogue and coordination on Ghana’s fisheries reforms and promote decent work across the fisheries value chain.
Ghana’s fisheries sector is undergoing significant reforms. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) has expanded the Inshore Exclusive Zone (IEZ) from six to twelve nautical miles, strengthening protections for small-scale fishers and creating new opportunities for community participation in fisheries governance. In April 2026, Ghana also announced its first Marine Protected Area (MPAs) in the Greater Cape Three Points Area. These are critical fisheries management measures whose implementation the resource users must understand, shape and effectively contribute to.
In parallel, Ghana has ratified the ILO Convention C188 on Work in Fishing, establishing a framework to promote occupational safety, fair treatment, and social protection for fishers and fish workers.
Despite these developments, many fish workers are weakly connected to governance and advocacy processes. GFRA’s recent mapping identified at least 21 distinct fish worker groups that operate across the fisheries value chain, including canoe crew, processors, traders, descalers, head porters, canoe carvers, and input suppliers. These groups are directly affected by management decisions but often underrepresented within them.
The workshop, facilitated by GFRA alongside partners the Ghana Agriculture Workers’ Union (GAWU), National Union of Teamsters and General Workers (NUTEG), and the Environment Justice Foundation (EJF), will apply a participatory methodology combining evidence-based presentations, facilitated group discussions, and structured experience sharing.
Sessions will include: the findings of GFRA’s fish worker mapping; the state of Ghana’s small pelagic fishery and co-management opportunities under the 2025 Act; fish worker needs assessment findings from GAWU and NUTEG; and a presentation on the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Participants will engage in structured group work across three themes: representation challenges and solutions; decent work priorities; and priorities for inclusive fisheries management. The workshop is designed as an entry point to a longer-term process of dialogue, relationship-building, and coordinated advocacy among fishing associations, unions, civil society, and government.
About GFRA
Global Fisheries and Resilience Action (GFRA LBG) — 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.
Media Contact
Email: communications@gfra.global
Web: www.gfra.global
Address: 59 Leshie Street, Unit A, Tse Addo, Accra – Ghana
