By: Ahoto John Justice

The Fisheries Commission has formally protested the grant of an offshore reconnaissance licence to Gold Coast GRC Ghana Ltd for gold exploration on Ghana’s sh£∆£allow continental shelf, demanding that field activities be suspended until key fisheries, environmental and safety concerns are addressed.

In a letter dated September 29, 2026, to the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Prof. Benjamin Betey Campion, said the documentation supporting the licence appeared to have been prepared largely from a terrestrial mining perspective, with inadequate consideration of Ghana’s marine environment and fisheries resources.

The Commission’s position followed a communication dated July 15, 2026, which it said was received on September 7 notifying it of the grant covering an offshore area of approximately 10,000 square kilometres.

According to the Commission, it was not meaningfully involved in the assessment, planning or permitting process despite the proposed activities taking place entirely offshore in an area used by artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fishers.

Fisheries concerns

The Commission has also questioned provisions in the licence relating to third-party rights.

It said the conditions contain references to terrestrial activities such as the right to “hunt game, gather firewood, collect snails” but do not adequately address the rights and interests of fishers, fish processors and fish traders whose livelihoods depend on the marine space.

The Commission says there has also been inadequate assessment of the potential effects of the exploration programme on fishing grounds, fish behaviour and distribution, fishing gear, navigation and the livelihoods of affected communities.

It is therefore calling for a marine-specific assessment before offshore field operations proceed.

Seven demands

Following its review, the Fisheries Commission is demanding the: Immediate suspension of offshore field activities.

Conduct of a full Fisheries Impact Assessment; Consultation with affected fishing communities and their representative organisations, Preparation of a plan to protect and, where necessary, compensate affected livelihoods, Development of a comprehensive safety plan for offshore operations, Revision of the licence conditions to reflect the realities of marine operations; and Joint review of the programme by relevant regulatory institutions.

The Commission has stressed that an offshore reconnaissance programme of this scale cannot be treated solely as a minerals-sector matter because of its potential implications for fisheries, coastal livelihoods, food security and Ghana’s wider blue economy.

CSOs also raise concerns

The Fisheries Commission’s protest comes amid a separate petition by 11 civil society organisations to President John Mahama calling for a review of the offshore gold exploration licences.

The coalition includes the Environmental Justice Foundation, Centre for Maritime Law and Security Africa, Hen Mpoano, OCEANA, Friends of the Nation and Oxfam.

The organisations have raised questions about the proposed exploration programme and the potential environmental and livelihood implications of activities on the seabed.

They say about 50,000 line-kilometres of airborne magnetic data have reportedly already been collected, while a priority area of about 500 square kilometres has been identified around the mouth of the Ankobra River.

The groups say the next phase is expected to involve marine bathymetric and seismic surveys, vibro-core drilling and bulk seabed sampling.

Legal questions

The CSOs have also raised legal questions about whether some of the proposed activities fall within the scope of a reconnaissance licence.

They cite Section 32(3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended, which they say prohibits holders of reconnaissance licences from drilling or excavating.

The organisations argue that activities involving vibro-coring and bulk seabed sampling could therefore require clarification of their legal basis before they proceed.

They have also cited Section 99(6) of Act 703 and called on government to clarify how proposed seabed activities and any eventual extraction would comply with the law. These are, however, legal concerns raised by the CSOs and not a judicial determination that the proposed programme is unlawful.

The groups are further demanding the publication of the official cadastral coordinates, licence instruments, conditions and work programmes to allow the public to determine precisely where the licensed areas are located and what activities have been authorised.

Fisheries at stake

The concerns have brought renewed attention to the potential interaction between offshore mineral exploration and Ghana’s fisheries sector.

Ghana’s fisheries sector supports millions of livelihoods and contributes significantly to food security and coastal economic activity. The Marine Fisheries Management Plan has previously estimated that the fisheries subsector supports more than three million people.

The Fisheries Commission says the scale of the proposed offshore programme makes it necessary for regulatory and scientific processes to be marine-specific, evidence-based and sufficiently precautionary.

It has consequently called for the Minerals Commission and other relevant agencies to undertake a joint review before the programme proceeds.

The Commission maintains that its intervention is not an objection to responsible investment or scientific investigation of Ghana’s natural resources, but a demand that any offshore exploration take proper account of fisheries, marine ecosystems, maritime safety and the livelihoods of communities dependent on the sea.