The inception workshop for the Ecosystem-based approach to an Integrated Marine and Coastal Environment Management Pilot Project took place last week in Amansaman, Ghana.

January 22-24 2019 saw the inception workshop of the Ecosystem-based approach to an Integrated Marine and Coastal Environment Management (EIMCEM) Pilot Project, at the Institute of Environmental Studies (EPA Training School), Amansaman, near Accra – Ghana.

The EIMCEM Pilot Project is part of the broader Mami Wata project, aimed at assisting countries of the Abidjan Convention Region to implement an Integrated Ocean Management (IOM) approach, that brings together Ecologically and Biologically Significant marine Areas information (EBSAs), State of Marine Environment (SoME) reporting and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) processes as key tools. The EIMCEM Pilot Project is set to be implemented in the Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East, and Ahanta West districts in the Western Region of Ghana in 2019.

The objective of the workshop in Amansaman was to introduce the participants to the Pilot Project in Ghana, to train them on the SoME reporting, on defining EBSAs, and on MSP processes, and to identify and collate data sources and needs for the IOM approach. Three thematic work groups have been formed to lead the process. This workshop was also intended to introduce the work groups to the three IOM tools as well as to provide them with guidance on data collection and on the steps they will have to take in order to implement the Pilot Project in Ghana.

The workshop, which brought together a broad range of stakeholders from regulatory, academia, research institutions and NGO, was moderated by the management team from the Environmental Protection Agency – Ghana which is the implementation agency of the Pilot Project in the country with support from experts from GRID-Arendal, and the Abidjan Convention Secretariat. The trainers were Richard Dacosta (Abidjan Convention) and Dieynaba Seck (Centre de Suivi Ecologique, Sénégal) for EBSAs, and Dr. Johnson (Institute of Marine Biology and Oceanography of the University of Sierra Leone) for the SoME processes.

The project is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Ministry of the Environment, Conservation of Nature and Nuclear Safety (BMU), with a counterpart funding provided by the Government of Ghana, and implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency – Ghana. Technical support is being provided by GRID-Arendal and the Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention.

Louis PILLE-SCHNEIDER