The Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA) has issued a stern call for the immediate strengthening of maritime security following a violent pirate attack on over 70 artisanal fishers.
The association warned that rising criminality at sea threatens the entire fisheries value chain, noting that “criminality at sea does not discriminate by vessel category”.
In a press statement released Friday, February 27, 2026, GITA expressed its “heartfelt sympathy” to the victims who were robbed at gunpoint while engaged in lawful fishing activities. The association extended its thoughts to the affected families and the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC).
GITA also commended the swift intervention of the Ghana Navy, Air Force, Marine Police, Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU), and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Their coordinated response was credited with saving lives and ensuring the safe rescue of the fishermen.
A Growing Threat to Industrial Vessels
The association raised concerns that if heavily populated canoe fleets are vulnerable to armed robbery, industrial vessels operating further offshore may become even more attractive targets.
”No Ghanaian fisherman, whether Artisanal, Inshore, or Industrial, should have to risk his life simply to earn a living,” the statement read.
GITA highlighted that industrial vessels carry significant assets including valuable catch, fuel, machinery, and foreign crew making the potential consequences of an attack even more severe. The association noted that the industrial sector is already familiar with these dangers, having experienced robbery, intimidation, and crew kidnappings in previous years.
Demand for Policy and Security Alignment
With the recent passage of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 1146, which extends the Inshore Exclusive Zone (IEZ) to 12 nautical miles, GITA argued that regulatory reforms must be matched by physical security.
”We cannot tighten operational boundaries without strengthening security coverage,” the association stated, emphasizing that the safety of fishers must be treated as a matter of national importance.
Proposed Solutions
GITA is advocating for a reinforced maritime security framework involving a multi-agency approach:
Key Agencies for Collaboration
Ghana Navy & Marine Police
Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU)
Ghana Maritime Authority
Fisheries Commission
National Security
The association also proposed that if the state cannot guarantee adequate security within lawful operating zones, a “structured and lawful conversation on vessel self-protection mechanisms” should be initiated under national security laws.
GITA concluded by reaffirming its readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders to restore confidence in Ghana’s waters and protect the livelihoods of all those in the fisheries sector.
