Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Professor Benjamin Betey Campion, has raised concerns over the granting of an offshore reconnaissance licence to Gold Coast GRC Ghana Ltd to explore for gold on Ghana’s shallow continental shelf.
Professor Campion said the documents supporting the licence do not adequately consider the marine environment, fishing activities and livelihoods of communities that depend on Ghana’s coastal waters.
In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission dated Tuesday, September 29, 2026, he called for the proposed exploration programme to be reviewed before any offshore field activities begin.
The programme covers an area of about 10,000 square kilometres. However, Professor Campion said the documents appeared to have been prepared largely from the perspective of land-based mining.
He said the Fisheries Commission was not meaningfully involved in the assessment and planning of the project, despite the proposed activity taking place entirely offshore.
According to Professor Campion, the assessment should have considered the potential impact on fishing grounds, fishing gear, navigation, fish behaviour and the livelihoods of people who depend on fishing.
He also pointed to several sections of the licence documents which, in his view, do not reflect conditions at sea.
These include references to hunting game, gathering firewood and collecting snails, which are activities associated with land-based areas.
He said the assessment should instead recognise the activities of artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fishers, as well as fish processors and traders.
Professor Campion also questioned the environmental information used in preparing the programme.
He said the assessment focuses heavily on land features such as vegetation, climate and relief, while giving inadequate attention to seabed conditions, oceanography, water quality and marine habitats.
He further raised concerns about marine safety and the risks associated with operating vessels in areas where fishing activities are already taking place.
“Include possible interactions between exploration vessels and fishing boats, marine pollution, underwater noise, weather conditions, emergency evacuation and search and rescue,” the letter noted.
Professor Campion is therefore asking the Minerals Commission to suspend or refrain from authorising offshore field reconnaissance until the concerns are addressed.
He also called for consultations with fishing communities, fisher organisations and researchers, as well as the development of a Marine Fisheries and Livelihood Management Plan.
He said the licence conditions must also be reviewed to reflect the realities of Ghana’s marine environment, with a proper health, safety and emergency response plan put in place.
Professor Campion has proposed that the matter be reviewed jointly by relevant institutions, including the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Authority, Ghana Maritime Authority, Water Resources Commission and Petroleum Commission.
He stressed that the Fisheries Commission was not against responsible investment or scientific research into Ghana’s natural resources but said such activities must take into account the importance of fisheries to food security, employment and coastal livelihoods.
“An offshore reconnaissance programme of this magnitude represents a significant intervention in Ghana’s marine space. It is therefore essential that the regulatory and scientific processes supporting the activity are fit for purpose, marine-specific, evidence-based, precautionary and consistent with Ghana’s obligations concerning sustainable use and protection of its aquatic resources,” Professor Campion wrote.
