Chinese fishing firm Rongcheng Ocean Fisheries is nearing completion on a USD 21 million (EUR 19.5 million) port project in the West African nation of Ghana, despite allegations that the firm has engaged in illegal fishing practices in the country’s waters.
The project has drawn criticism from international NGOs, which say they worry that projects like these allow China’s distant-water fleet to engage unfettered in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. The local fishing community has expressed a bit more optimism, but also said there are worries that Ghanaians won’t see as many benefits from the project as China has promised.
Regarding the latter group, Ghanaian artisanal fishing representatives have expressed cautious optimism, saying that improvements are desperately needed regardless of who builds up infrastructure in the country.
“Fishing port infrastructure is necessary for artisanal fisheries. It provides improved landing sites for canoes and contributes to safety in the sector. Other essential services, including service centers, fishing input sales points, [and] storage facilities, are also beneficial to artisanal fishers,” Nana Kweigyah, the director of the Ghana Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association, told SeafoodSource. “Facilities for fish handling contribute greatly to fisheries post-harvest. Overall, port infrastructure enhances fisher livelihoods and contributes to development of coastal communities.”
Many countries in West Africa have attempted to secure external investments to improve aquaculture and fisheries infrastructure.
Neighboring Cote d’Ivoire recently secured a EUR 24.6 million (USD 25.9 million) African Development Bank (AfDB) loan to spur growth within its fisheries and aquaculture industries.
Also backed by the AfDB, the West African country of Benin recently launched a USD 36.4 million (EUR 33.7 million) aquaculture project aimed at increasing its domestic fish output.
Often, however, that external investment has come from China, which has established, or is seeking to establish, projects in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Ghana, and elsewhere.
Though he emphasized the need for investment in Ghanaian ports, Kweigyah is also worried ...
