Busan, South Korea – April 28, 2025 – Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable ocean governance and fisheries development at the 10th Our Ocean Conference, currently underway in Busan, South Korea. The country’s delegation is led by Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, who is heading a 10 member team to the high-level global event, taking place from April 28 to 30, 2025.
Themed “Our Ocean, Our Action,” this year’s conference also marks the 10th anniversary of the global event and introduces a special agenda topic, “Ocean Digital,” which emphasizes the use of technology and data in advancing sustainable ocean initiatives.
The Our Ocean Conference is one of the most prominent international platforms for ocean-related issues, bringing together more than 1,000 global leaders, including heads of state, ministers, scientists, and representatives from over 100 nations and 400 organizations. It serves as a platform for global cooperation on six key areas: marine pollution, marine protected areas, climate change, sustainable fisheries, sustainable blue economies, and marine security.
As part of Ghana’s participation, Hon. Emelia Arthur has engaged in a series of bilateral meetings with development partners to review existing collaborations and explore new opportunities to strengthen Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.
On April 28, 2025, the Minister held a significant bilateral meeting with Oceana, the world’s largest international ocean advocacy organization, at the Bexco Auditorium. She met with Beth Lowell, Oceana’s Vice President for the United States, to discuss potential areas for collaboration in addressing Ghana’s fisheries challenges.
During the meeting, Hon. Arthur highlighted some of the pressing issues facing the sector, including the depletion of fish stocks and the persistent threat of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. She emphasized the need for strategic partnerships to complement national efforts aimed at achieving effective fisheries governance.
“Ghana is making good progress toward key reforms,” she said, “including the establishment of our first marine protected area, a comprehensive legal review, the introduction of an electronic monitoring system, and the development of a blue economy strategy to ensure sustainable resource management and economic diversification.”
The Minister also requested technical and financial support from Oceana to enhance Ghana’s electronic monitoring system and to pursue certification for its tuna fishery, which would open up more international market opportunities.
Beth Lowell commended Ghana’s efforts and expressed Oceana’s interest in supporting sustainable fisheries management in the country. Both parties agreed to develop a collaborative framework to guide future joint activities and interventions.
Hon. Godfred Jasaw, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and Cocoa Affairs, is also part of the Ghanaian delegation attending the conference.
Ghana’s participation in the 10th Our Ocean Conference reflects the government’s commitment to international cooperation, ocean conservation, and responsible fisheries governance that secures the livelihoods of coastal communities while protecting marine biodiversity.
