The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea has launched regional monitoring, control, and surveillance center in Tema.

The facility is to address major challenges in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the West African subregion through enhanced regional cooperation.

Speaking at the launch, the minister for fisheries, Mavis Hawa Koomson lamented the incidence of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing which she said has a negative impact on fisheries resources and the loss of revenue to the country estimated at millions of US dollars.

“This loss of revenue could be used to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities and reduce poverty. I have been briefed that IUU fishing is on the rise in our subregion due to the economic benefits gained by those involved in the act. I have also been briefed that no single country can combat IUU fishing. The launch of the RMCSC has therefore come at an opportune time. It is the time to collectively tackle the menace,” she said.

She entreated member states of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea to show more commitment to the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, revealing that the government of Ghana has initiated the process to procure four patrol vessels and a research vessel to help combat the illegal act.

H.E Diana Acconcia, the EU Ambassador to Ghana said better fisheries management could increase the global catch by 20%.

She said the EU is firmly committed to eradicating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing around the world and is taking a strong and structured action towards that.

“I think IUU fishing is part of the European Union action under the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It is the EU’s contribution towards obtaining the life below water objective of the SDG,” she noted.