Ocean Country Partnership Programme: Ghana Supporting the Gazettement of Ghana's first MPA

Ghana has a marine and coastal area of 228,000 km2 (up to the Exclusive Economic Zone), which hosts a wealth of biodiversity comprising of a range of habitats and species. However, Ghana's marine resources and environment are threatened by multiple factors including, but not limited to, overexploitation, habitat destruction and pollution, which has resulted in the loss of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. To support the protection and sustainable management of the marine environment, and the livelihoods that utilise it's resources, Ghana has designated five coastal lagoons as Ramsar sites. In addition, Ghana has made significant progress towards gazettement (designation) of the first Marine Protected Area (MPA), which was committed be gazetted by 2026 in the Ghana Fisheries Management Plans (2022-2026). However, several key procedures need to be completed in order to achieve successful gazettement. Under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme, this contract aims to undertake the required institutional and stakeholder engagement processes to deliver the gazettement of Ghana's first MPA. The outcome of this project will contribute towards Ghana's commitment of achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework's '30 by 30' target through the Convention on Biological Diversity.