The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has disclosed that Ghana is grappling with a wide gap between national fish demand and domestic production, underscoring the need to scale up aquaculture and inland fisheries.
Ahead of the launch of the Blue Food Hub, she said: “Our annual fish demand is 1.2 million metric tonnes, but we are only able to produce about 550,000 metric tonnes. So, there is about 700,000 metric tonnes gap we need to fill.
She noted that Ghana’s fish supply comes from marine, inland, and aquaculture sources, and emphasised that conservation efforts remain critical to improving marine yields.
“We need to pay a lot of attention to inland fisheries. Until last year, inland fisheries did not have a management plan. We have developed one, and then we have to close the gap with aquaculture,” she added.
Her comments highlight the government’s renewed focus on boosting local fish production to meet rising demand, curb imports and promote the sustainable management of the country’s aquatic resources.
