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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held an in-country mission in Ghana as part of its current assistance programme to the country.

The mission, carried out between the 12 and 22 September in collaboration with national authorities, was another important step in assisting the country to draft new legislation to incorporate its key international obligations related to the effective implementation of the FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) and complementary international instrument to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The first week of this 10-day mission was dedicated to an intensive session with the team at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission, to review and finalize a draft legislation.

During the second week, FAO facilitated the organization of a second national stakeholder consultation, hosted by the same national entities. The stakeholder consultation is a legal requirement and a necessary step in the national law-making process. An earlier stakeholder consultation was held in April this year, following a review by FAO of monitoring, control and surveillance procedures in the country. 

Attendants in this second national stakeholder consultation included representatives from civil society, fisheries associations as well as key public institutions such as Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Navy, the Marine Police, as well as Customs Services. The overall goal of this step was to gather detailed feedback and input from stakeholders through work sessions during which participants had the opportunity to review provisions of the proposed legislation.

A second work session ensued with the team at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Fisheries Commission, to review comments from stakeholders and agree on changes to be reflected in the proposed legislation.

The Ghana mission was possible as a result of the European Union funded project GCP/GLO/447/EC, Fourth PSMA Global Capacity Development Programme Support Project, which supports capacity development initiatives in developing States to assist them to implement international instruments to combat IUU fishing, including the provisions of the PSMA.