Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 nm zone): N/A
- Exclusive Economic Zone: N/A
National projects
Overview of MSP related maritime uses
Current main uses:
| Shipping | Ports |
| Oil and gas | Mining |
| Nature conservation | Fisheries |
| Military | Scientific research |
| Coastal protection | Cables and pipelines |
| Tourism and leisure | Underwater cultural heritage |
Which marine spatial plans exist?
Name of the plan |
N/A |
|---|---|
Scale of the plan |
Pilot case |
Pre-planning |
Status: Underway |
Analysis for planning |
Status: Underway |
Development of the management plan |
Status: N/A |
Completion of the management plan |
Status: N/A |
Approval of the management plan |
Status: N/A |
Implementation of the management plan |
Status: N/A |
Revision of the management plan |
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, in collaboration with: Environmental Protection Agency (focal point of the pilot project), Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Ghana Maritime Authority, Department of Fisheries and Marine Science (University of Ghana), etc. |
Financing |
The pilot project is co-financed by the Government of Ghana and German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, and implemented by GRID-Arendal, the Abidjan Convention Secretariat and UNEP |
Time required to complete the plans |
Eighteen months. This excludes the time it takes to get parliamentary approval for the Designated Protected Areas |
Drivers of MSP |
Increasing threat of inter-sectoral conflicts over maritime space and resource use (sea use conflicts resulting from oil and gas and fishing activities); loss of critical marine and coastal habitat; dwindling fish stock; pollution |
Stakeholder participation |
Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation; Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority; Environmental Protection Agency; Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development; Ghana Maritime Authority; regional coordinating council (Western region); local planning authorities (district assemblies); academia; Department of Fisheries and Marine Science (University of Ghana); University of Cape Coast; NGOs (Hen Mpano); local associations (fisher folks, fish mongers, etc.) |
Sectors included in planning |
Environment; fisheries; local government; academia; NGOs; local communities and associations; media and other relevant government agencies and departments |
Relation to coastal management |
The project covers three components. This involves describing Ecological and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA) and State of Marine Environment (SOME) Report. The above-mentioned components will serve as critical input for the preparation of the Marine Spatial Plan (MSP). The resultant plan will cover issues of coastal management |
Relation to marine protected area management |
A key aim of the pilot project is to identify and delineate MPAs which shall be subject to wider stakeholder consultation and parliamentary approval |
Plan approval |
The plan is being prepared as a national level spatial plan since the maritime boundary of the project area goes beyond the district and the regional administrative boundaries. Approval would hence be done at the national level in collaboration with all the key sector agencies |
Legal status of the plan |
Once the plan is approved, it would be a legal document; however, the protected areas cannot be enforced until it is backed by a legislative instrument, passed by Parliament |
Plan revision |
The plan will have a horizon of twenty years, but can be revised as and when the need arises. |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
The plan will have an implementation strategy which will include a plan for monitoring and evaluation |
Legal framework
- Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925)
- National Development Planning Commission Act, 1994 (Act 479)
- National Development Planning System Act, 1994 (Act 480)
- Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490)
- Ghana Maritime Act, 2002 (Act 630)
- Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625)
- Energy Commission Act, 1997 (Act 541)
- Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817)
- Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936)
- National Environment Policy, 1993
Contact
Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority
Mrs. Celestina Deku – Senior Town Planning Officer
P.O.Box MB 61 Ministries
Accra, Ghana