Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146).

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 consolidates laws on the sustainable use of fisheries resources in Ghana. It establishes the Fisheries Commission as the main authority to oversee conservation, development, management, and utilization of fisheries and aquaculture resources. The Commission’s objectives include promoting responsible trade, preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, ensuring long-term resource conservation, and advancing the blue economy. Its functions cover planning, regulation, research collaboration, policy coordination, and enforcement in line with national and international obligations. The Act also details the governance of the Fisheries Commission through a Board, which provides strategic direction and oversight. The Board is supported by specialized divisions and regional offices, with an Executive Director responsible for daily administration. Financial provisions include the creation of a Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund to support monitoring, small-scale enterprises, habitat restoration, and research. Provisions also outline marine and inland fisheries management plans, reserves, exclusion zones, and conservation measures such as bans on fishing endangered species, closed seasons, and pollution control.
Additionally, the Act regulates vessel construction, licensing, aquaculture practices, and post-harvest trade in fish and aquaculture products. It establishes frameworks for monitoring, surveillance, compliance, and enforcement through authorized officers and the Fisheries Enforcement Unit. Provisions on jurisdiction, offences, penalties, and appeals ensure accountability, while measures on international cooperation reinforce Ghana’s commitment to sustainable fisheries management. The law consists of 172 Articles.