The purse seine and pole-and-line vessels that are members of the Ghana Tuna Association (GTA) have been awarded MSC certification.
There are fifteen member companies within GTA, currently operating 20 pole-and-line catches and 17 purse seiners, plus there are canneries Pioneer Food Cannery and Cosmos Foods. The majority of the vessels are operated on joint-venture basis, with Ghanaians having minimum 50% of the shares, as required by the 2002 Fisheries Act. The primary outlet for production in Ghana is markets in the European Union and GTA members are major exporters of tuna to the EU.
‘This is a proud moment for the Ghanaian tuna industry and a significant milestone for the country’s seafood sector. Achieving MSC certification would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our members, industry stakeholders, improvement project partners, and management authorities,’ said Frank Aihoon, President of the Ghana Tuna Association.
‘By meeting this internationally recognised benchmark, we are demonstrating our strong commitment to sustainability, the continued development of the Ghana tuna industry, and our responsibility to help leave a healthier ocean for future generations.’
The MSC assessments by Control Union (UK) Limited followed a process to examine the fisheries’ ecosystem impacts, stock health and management measures. GTA’s certification shows what is possible when a group of fishers opt to be guided by science and international best practice.
The fleets operate in the Atlantic High Seas and the EEZs of Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Liberia to target skipjack and yellowfin tuna, with catches landed at the ports of Accra and Tema, Ghana’s trade gateway.
Both fisheries have a comprehensive management plan for the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs), adopting guidelines and conservations measures set by ICCAT and ISSF. The industry has also invested heavily in skipper and fisher training, endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) strategy development, and improved data collection and monitoring to verify responsible fishing operations.
‘We congratulate the Ghana Tuna Association and its partners on this remarkable achievement and look forward to our ongoing engagement as these fisheries continue their sustainability journey,’ commented Michael Marriott, MSC’s Programme Director for Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
‘MSC certification is about more than just a label demanded by seafood buyers and consumers around the world– it’s a way for us to recognise those fishers who are committed to improving their environmental practices.’
