In Ghana, one of West Africa’s foremost fishing nations, industrial fishers often experience working conditions that would be unacceptable on land: excessive working hours, inadequate rest and nutrition, unsanitary accommodation and safety violations to name a few. Meanwhile, small-scale fisheries grapple with the effects of overfishing, illegal fishing, pollution, and encroachment on their fishing grounds by industrial vessels and offshore oil production.
In 2021, the European Union issued its second yellow card to Ghana over concerns about illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly targeting the destructive practice known as saiko. Saiko involves the at-sea transhipment of illegally caught small pelagic fish from industrial trawlers to purpose-built artisanal canoes. The practice has pushed affected fish stocks, such as sardinella and mackerel, to the brink of collapse, robbed artisanal fishers of their once abundant catches, and forced small-scale fish traders out of competition. Meanwhile, a labour-led movement emerged following several developments in 2022, leading to the establishment of a tripartite Work in Fishing Committee – representing government, employers, and fishers – and the subsequent introduction of formal employment contracts for crew working on industrial fishing vessels. In August 2024, Ghana ratified the International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention (C188), further accelerating formalization in the sector.
Strengthening labour and ocean governance
This project documents the emerging fisher-led movement to secure decent working conditions while examining how formalization processes – through international regulations, labour standards, and governance mechanisms – are transforming the “micropolitics” of Ghana’s fisheries. These micropolitics represent the intricate web of informal relationships that have long sustained fishing communities and value chains but are now being rapidly reshaped by external pressures and internal movements for change. By understanding how formalization affects fish workers’ livelihoods, working conditions, and the sustainability of fish stocks, the project aims to contribute to policy approaches that centre on workers in efforts to strengthen both labour and ocean governance.