Sustainable mangroves and oyster harvesting with Tsokomey/ Development Action Association (Ghana)

The organization and local perspectives on conservation and stewardship

Tsokomey/ Development Action Association (DAA) is a coastal rural organization in the Ga South Municipal Assembly (greater Accra region) of Ghana. The DAA emerged out of the Freedom from Hunger Campaign / Action for Development FFHC/AD programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the Greater Accra Region. As a result of the programme’s positive developments and their growing self-confidence and organisational maturity, local groups decided to form a loose federation of grassroots associations called the Development Action Association or Noyaa Kpee in the Ga language.

DAA is a member of the Farmers Organisation Network in Ghana (FONG) which is a member of the Network of Farmers Organizations and Agricultural Producers in West Africa (ROPPA). The DAA now operates in 70 communities in Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Volta, and Oti Regions of Ghana. DAA has implemented several development projects including the construction of a nursery and primary school, a place of convenience, has arranged capacity building in financial management and rural womens’ empowerment, initiated a celebration of World Rural Women’s Day, and collaborates with the District Assemblies, Ministry of food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD), FAO, FARA and others.

People in the Densu Delta community are settlers who migrated from the Volta region. Fishing happens in the Densu River and the sea. The men fish and the women process, store and distribute a variety of fish (e.g. anchovies, shrimps, sadinella, small tilapia and shellfishes like oysters and crabs) to different markets in Ghana. Locally, they have a Densu Oyster Pickers Association (DOPA) group. Through the Association the community has been able to build a school and has handed it over to the government to run it. The women are fish processors but due to depletion of fish stock it has affected their livelihood. The community, through the DAA, benefited from a USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) which was implemented by the University of Rhode Island Coastal resources center. Through the project, the Densu oyster estuary was rebuilt to grow more oysters, and training was provided. Here, oysters are harvested both from the wild and are cultivated by the community.

Previously, the community had cut all their mangroves and it has affected water quality and the growth of the oysters, including the shell. With the implementation of seasonal closures we have been able to improve harvests so much and the community has benefited from that.

Stewardship experience: Mangrove restoration, oyster culture and fishery management in Densu

The issue or problem being addressed

Cutting of mangroves for other uses and destroying oyster habitat and that of other shellfishes. Reduced flow of the river into the sea and increased water temperatures are a concern.

The conservation/stewardship activities

Education was done from 2016 to 2017 and the first closed season was from November, 2017 to April, 2018. The seasonal closure takes place during this 5 month period each year. We Identified all the communities around the Densu river and brought together all the oyster pickers to educate them. Education was provided by the University of Cape Coast on habitats. Oyster pickers also went to the Republic of Benin and the Gambia to learn from them. Efforts then took place to refill/restock the Densu river with more shellfish after seeking permission from the landlord. The landlords are the traditional leaders of the area and the custodians of the Densu Estuary and the land around it.

The benefits/impacts including sustainability/environmental effects

The closed season has helped the people in the community as it has resulted in increased harvests. Oysters form a major part of the protein locals are eating during the opened season period – oyster and other shellfish have long been the staple protein and calcium source in their diet. During the open season the family relies on oyster for their diet and they harvest it without needing to buying it. Beyond food security, it also essential to support their income.

The success and significance of the activities

Because most of the oysters in the Densu river were dead prior to replanting the mangroves, educating locals on the habitat and keeping the water temperature suitable for them was important to ensure this situation could be monitored and avoided in the future. Increased knowledge on when oysters produce eggs and keeping the closed season has been helping to make the oysters grow very well, and with this knowledge, the community is better able to sustainably manage the mangroves and the local fishery.

Some lessons learned or words of wisdom

We went to the Republic of Benin and the Gambia to learn about how the oysters live, others can come and visit us and also learn just as we did. Focus on team work, collaboration, education, knowledge sharing and the formation of co-management so all the stakeholders can come together to rebuild the fishery.

To learn more about the Development Action Association, visit: https://daawomen.org/

To view a PowerPoint presentation on this project select the link below:

DAA Ghana Webinar Presentation

*************************************************************************************************

Fishery Facts

(Below are the applicable categories of fisheries, environment, species, gear type and livelihood role.)

Fishery characteristics:

• Marine capture fishery (e.g. nearshore/coastal/reef-based/deep sea) 
• Inland capture fishery (e.g. river/lake/reservoir)
• Subsistence fishery
• Multi-species 

The environment where fishing takes place: 

• Freshwater – riverine / small lake / wetland / reservoir
• Coastal – Estuarine
• Open ocean

Main species targeted:

• Marine – Small pelagics (finfish) – e.g. reef fishes/herring/mackerel/sardines
• Inland finfish – e.g. carp/perch/catfish/salmonids
• Crustaceans (e.g. shrimp/prawn/lobster)  

Gear types/ methods used:

• Purse seine
• Beach seine
• Line
• Pot/trap
• Dredge
• Dive
• Beach harvest/gleaning (e.g. collection of shellfish/algae/mangrove crabs etc.)

Role of the fishery in local livelihoods:

• Main source of employment
• Secondary/supplementary source of employment
• Seasonal
• Full-time