Small-Scale Fishers Urge EU to Look to Ghana for Forthcoming Ocean Act

Small-scale fishers are calling on European Union leaders to draw lessons from West Africa as Brussels prepares its forthcoming Ocean Act. The demand follows a ten-year campaign in Ghana, where local artisanal fishers successfully secured an expanded Preferential Access Area, effectively reserving nearshore waters for small-scale vessels and protecting local livelihoods against industrial fishing pressure. With the EU drafting dedicated legislation for ocean governance and marine protection, representatives of small-scale fishing fleets are urging European decision-makers to incorporate similar spatial protections into the bloc's own legislative framework.

Coastal fishing communities across Europe face mounting economic pressure, competing for space and marine resources with large-scale industrial fleets, offshore energy infrastructure, and marine conservation zones. Small-scale fishers argue that without explicit legal protection and dedicated access rights to coastal waters, smaller operations risk being squeezed out. For European consumers and coastal economies, the balance struck in the upcoming Ocean Act could influence the sustainability of local seafood supplies, the economic viability of coastal communities, and how European waters are shared between industrial operators and traditional fleets.

The policy push comes at a delicate moment as European Commission officials draft the Ocean Act, a legislative initiative intended to streamline EU ocean governance, balance marine conservation with economic activities, and update rules for the blue economy. In the corridors of Brussels, maritime policy frequently turns into a tug-of-war between industrial fishing interests, environmental campaigners, member states guarding national territorial waters, and small-scale operators seeking protected zones. Translating a West African zoning model into EU law will require navigating complex rules under the Common Fisheries Policy and securing agreement from both the European Parliament and member state governments in the Council—institutions that rarely reach quick consensus when fish and territorial access are on the table.

As the European Commission works to finalize the draft proposal for the Ocean Act, fishing groups and maritime stakeholders are stepping up their lobbying efforts to shape the initial text before it enters the EU's formal legislative process. Once published, the draft act will be sent to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for negotiation and amendments. Small-scale fishing advocates plan to push MEPs and national ministers to insert clear, enforceable spatial protections for coastal fleets into the final law.