Ghana Cracks Down on Illegal Chinese Trawlers in Bold Bid to Save Its Oceans

Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Ghana has taken a decisive stand against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a persistent crisis that drains the country’s economy by up to $23.7 million annually. In a landmark move, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, alongside the Fisheries Commission, suspended the licenses of four Chinese-linked trawlers in April for multiple violations threatening marine life and local livelihoods.
The vessels Meng Xin 10, Florence 2, Long Xiang 607, and Long Xiang 608 though flagged to Ghana, are beneficially owned by three Chinese corporations. This deceptive tactic, known as flagging in, enables foreign companies to fish in Ghanaian waters under the guise of local registration, undermining national regulations.
A staggering 90% of Ghana’s industrial trawlers are Chinese-owned, reports the Environmental Justice Foundation. These vessels were sanctioned for engaging in saiko, the illegal transshipment of fish at sea, as well as for dumping unwanted catches, fishing in restricted zones, and harvesting juvenile fish. Such activities have devastated local fish stocks, particularly small pelagic species like sardinella, which are crucial to food security and the livelihoods of over 2 million Ghanaians reliant on small-scale fishing.
“Saiko is decimating Ghana’s staple fish species, deepening hunger and poverty,” warned Steve Trent, executive director of the Environmental Justice Foundation. He estimates that more than half of industrial catches in Ghana are tied to illegal trade.
Artisanal fishers, who are legally the only ones allowed to catch pelagic fish, are being edged out by industrial fleets. As a result, their average income has plummeted by nearly 40% per canoe over the past 15 years. Industrial vessels also deploy illegal nets, fish with powerful lights, and even use explosives, further imperiling fish stocks and marine ecosystems.
One notorious fleet, the Meng Xin, was implicated in the 2019 disappearance of fisheries observer Emmanuel Essien, who vanished after documenting illegal activities aboard a trawler.
In response, Ghana’s newly appointed fisheries minister, Emelia Arthur, pledged increased transparency. In April, Ghana endorsed the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, joining countries like South Korea and Cameroon in a united effort to promote responsible fisheries governance.
“This is a roadmap for reform rooted in accountability,” Arthur said. “It’s not just good policy it’s our legal and moral obligation.”