In this episode of the Labor Link podcast, we talk to Eric Mawuko Atsiatorme. He is an expert on fisheries, having experienced Ghana’s fishing industry as a child laborer, a student of microbiology, and a canoe owner. Now he is a lawyer and helped us navigate the complex and diverse nature of Ghana’s fisheries. We discuss Eric’s story, the traditional structure of the sector, women’s unique role in Ghana’s fisheries, and the changing seascape of fishing in Ghana. We recorded this interview in January 2024.
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Ghana’s fisheries are in crises having seen an 80% decline in their fish stocks in the past two decades. As target species dwindle, fishers are increasingly butting heads with government officials charged with regulating the sector. They are also, in some cases, resorting to illegal methods such as light fishing or chemicals to make up for their waning catches. Ghana’s struggle to address illegal fish trading on industrial trawlers landed a Yellow Card from the EU. Here is how Eric talks about the situation:
“So, all these [factors] are building up as pressures … having cumulative effects on the livelihoods of the artisanal fishers: one, they have competition with the trawlers over the common resource, which is the small pelagic. In addition, now we have oil and gas, within our offshore maritime jurisdiction. The [government] and the regulators are attempting to bring in measures that would help Ghana's fishers rebound.”
Government policy is driven by all these factors. President Akufo-Addo (2017-2025), instituted several conservation measures including banning the illegal fish trade, a closed season, and a moratorium on new canoe licenses. However, many artisanal fishers, who blame the industrial sector for overfishing, believe that the government is not helping the people who are harmed by these policy changes. About 10% of Ghanaians, 3 million people, are directly economically supported by the fisheries sector, and as Eric says, “in Ghana, every meal comes with fish.” The cultural and economic importance of fisheries cannot be understated. Looking forward, policymakers know they must tread with care to preserve this important resource and protect livelihoods.
In response, Ghana’s fishers are organizing in creative ways. They are incorporating systems of dues-paying members into traditional structures, which are maintained through trust. Fisher organizations such as the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen’s Council, Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, and the National Union of Teamsters and General Workers of Ghana are all working on organizing the small-scale sector in the hopes that it will gain more influence in policymaking decisions. In addition, Akufo-Addo’s government rolled out a co-management policy to transform fisheries governance from a consultative process to a more participatory management framework. In the year after our conversation with Eric, John Mahama won the presidency and paused the closed season, which was the most contentious environmentally focused measure.
In speaking with Eric and meeting fisher organizers in Ghana, it became clear that the artisanal fishing sector is in transition. The sector has long been structured by a mix of traditional hierarchies and informal agreements. As new organizations emerge, many of these relationships are changing. Unions and associations alike are formalizing their membership structures, a process that could help enable fishers to more effectively engage the government in fishery management initiatives.
From Left to Right: Eric Mawuko Atsiatorme, Kweku Abaka popularly called Olivere, and Nana Egyir. Photo Credit: Judy Gearhart
