Where Policy Meets Practice: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fisheries Co-Management Practices in Ghana’s Coastal Regions

This chapter draws from an empirical study that investigates the effectiveness of co-management approaches within Ghana’s artisanal fisheries sector, emphasising collaborative governance between local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders. The research evaluates specific co-management initiatives designed to promote sustainable fisheries management. It examines the organisational dynamics within co-management groups, such as the Landing Beach Enforcement Committee (LaBEC), the Small Pelagic Co-management Committee (SPCC), and the Estuary Co-management Groups set up for the management of the Pra and Lower Volta Estuaries. The study employs a tool developed by Pomeroy et al. (2022) and adopted by the FAO to assess the effectiveness of the identified co-management groups. Utilising a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to source data from selected coastal communities, the study highlights stakeholder interactions, socio-economic benefits, and the contributions of the various co-management groups to the reduction of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The study provides critical insights into optimising co-management practices, informing policy development and institutional reforms necessary for resilient and sustainable fisheries management in Ghana’s blue economy. These insights highlight the potential of co-management as a pathway to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty alleviation, food security, and ecosystem sustainability. Policy implications are discussed in the chapter.