2026 closed season announced as canoe fishers exempted
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has announced the 2026 Marine Fisheries Closed Season, introducing a major policy shift that exempts canoe fishers from the annual exercise aimed at replenishing Ghana’s declining fish stocks.Ghana economic insights
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement at the Tema Canoe Basin on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, said the exemption was intended to protect livelihoods within the artisanal subsector while maintaining the broader objective of sustainability.
She explained that canoe fishers remain central to Ghana’s food systems, contributing about 80 per cent of fish consumed locally and accounting for roughly 60 per cent of the nation’s animal protein intake.
Despite the exemption, the Minister stressed that canoe operators would still be required to comply fully with fisheries regulations, particularly those targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. She warned that practices such as light fishing and the use of dynamite would attract strict sanctions.
Enhanced monitoring and enforcement
Mrs Arthur indicated that monitoring, control and surveillance systems would be strengthened during the period, with offenders to be prosecuted under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025.
She added that the Ministry was developing a comprehensive Fishers Protection Package as part of ongoing sector reforms.
The initiative is expected to include vessel licensing, tracking and communication systems, insurance for fishing assets, and social security schemes for fishers.
Access to government support, including premix fuel subsidies, will be linked to enrolment in the programme. The Minister noted that consultations with stakeholders on the package would begin shortly.
Call for stakeholder support
Mrs Arthur called on fishers, processors, traders, traditional authorities and enforcement bodies to support the implementation of the closed season, stressing that sustainable fisheries management was essential to safeguarding food security and coastal livelihoods.
Closed season timelines
Providing details of the 2026 schedule, the Minister said industrial tuna vessels are already observing their closed season from March 17 to April 30.
Industrial trawl vessels will observe a two-month closure from July 1 to August 31, while semi-industrial vessels will suspend operations for one month, from July 1 to July 31.
She noted that the closed season policy was developed in collaboration with stakeholders and grounded in scientific research to balance ecological sustainability with economic realities.
Stakeholders react
The Member of Parliament for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, welcomed the initiative and expressed optimism that sustained interventions would improve fishing practices and livelihoods within the sector.
The President of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana (NAFAG), Nana Joojo Solomon, also acknowledged government efforts to introduce social protection measures for fishers, describing them as necessary.
However, he highlighted longstanding concerns about the welfare of fishers, particularly after retirement. “When you look at the plight of a retired fisherman, it is heartbreaking.
There is no insurance package, no structured support system. When they are no longer able to work, they are left on their own,” he said.
Nana Solomon further questioned the impact of the closed season on incomes without adequate support mechanisms.
“If you ask someone not to work for one month, what interventions are in place to cushion them?” he asked, while commending the government for proposing a comprehensive support package.
The Chief Fisherman for the Lower Prampram landing beach, Nene Sorsey Quarshie VI, urged the Ministry to intensify enforcement of existing regulations to protect fish stocks and secure the livelihoods of fishing communities.
