The devastating effects of plastic pollution on Ghana’s fishing sector

The fishing sector in Ghana is one of the essential pillars of the nation’s economy. Not only does it provide essential nutrients and enhance taste buds, but it also offers employment and serves as a vital source of livelihood for many Ghanaians.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ghana’s fisheries sector generates approximately $1 billion in revenue annually.

This sector, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, supports 135,000 fishers in the marine sub-sector alone, contributing 4.5 percent to Ghana’s annual GDP and indirectly sustaining the livelihoods of 2.2 million people, or 10% of the population.

The marine sub-sector is particularly crucial, accounting for about 80 percent of the total fish supply, with an average annual catch of around 300,000 metric tonnes.

This underscores the significant role that marine fishing plays in Ghana’s economy. However, this vital source of livelihood is increasingly threatened by a growing menace: pollution.

Pollution in Ghana’s marine environment has reached alarming levels, with devastating effects on the fishing industry. Fishermen report dwindling catches, often returning from the sea with empty nets or, worse, nets filled with refuse instead of fish. Plastic waste, sewage, and chemical discharges into the sea are driving fish away.

Mr. Annan Abbey, a fisherman at the Tema Landing Beach, stated that, the current state of the sea is nothing to write home about where there is little to no catch.

“Sometimes, I go out to fish and come back with plastics. The sea is polluted, and it’s pushing the fish away,” he shared. “Not only me but also my fellow fishermen. We can even spend as long as a week at sea and come back with only a few fishes.”

The severity of the pollution problem is not just a threat to the livelihoods of fishermen but also to the broader ecosystem and human health.

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) warns that sewage, wastewater, persistent organic pollutants (including pesticides), heavy metals, oils, nutrients, and sediments—whether brought by rivers or discharged directly into coastal waters—are taking a severe toll on human health, well-being, and coastal ecosystems.

This results in increased carcinogens in seafood, more closed beaches, frequent red tides, and more frequent beaching of seabirds, fish, and even marine mammals.

Dr. Edem Mahu, a marine scientist and a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, has repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting our oceans and minimizing pollution. “We need to change our attitudes and hold the oceans close to our hearts,” she urged. “We must stop littering plastics and discharging waste into waterways.”

The fishing sector is too important to Ghana’s economy and the well-being of its people to be left at the mercy of pollution.

It is imperative that we act now to protect our oceans, not only for the current generation but also for the future. By taking collective action, we can restore the health of our marine ecosystems and secure a sustainable future for Ghana’s fishing industry.