Evaluation of the shark fisheries along the Coastline of Ghana, West Africa

The decline in traditionally valuable fish stocks, coupled with an increased demand for shark fins and meat has caused many fishermen to target sharks. However, there is limited information on the fishing practices, gears, and catch distribution for the shark fisheries. This study used a semi-structured interview to characterize the shark fisheries and techniques used to catch sharks as well as the catch statistics and trade in fifteen coastal communities along the Eastern, Central, and Western coasts of Ghana. Out of the 470 fishers interviewed, 46% were specialized shark fishers while the remaining 54% landed sharks as bycatch. Specialized shark fishers captured between 7–10 individual sharks per fishing trip while by-catch shark fishers captured between 1–5 sharks. The shark species harvested include the blue shark, thresher shark, common and sand tiger, bull shark, short and longfin mako shark, hammerhead, and milk shark. Fishers along the eastern coast mostly capture sharks as bycatch, while those along the central and western coast of Ghana target sharks with specialized fishing gears. The catch data obtained from the fishers indicated higher shark landings and was linked to the development of longlines and drift gill nets with hooks attached to the footrope that target sharks, and are usually deployed along the western coastlines of Ghana. Nearly all the shark species captured in the study communities were listed by the IUCN as either “Endangered”, “Critically Endangered” or “Vulnerable”. Among fishers who target sharks, 74% stated that shark populations were declining and were spending more effort to capture the fish. Specialized shark fishers indicated a poor perception and attitude towards shark conservation along the entire coastline of the country and are not in support of shark conservation. It is recommended that the capture and trade in these species should be closely monitored to prevent the extinction of vulnerable populations.