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SC/69B/HIM/17
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Resource ID
22109
Access
Open
Document Number
SC/69B/HIM/17
Full Title
An update on cetacean landings in artisanal fisheries along the coast of Ghana: 2023-2024
Author
Isaac Okyere*, Eric Mawuko Atsiatorme, Kwadwo Kesse Mireku, Elizabeth Agyekumwaa, Ernest Obeng Chuku, Patrick Ofori-Danson, Joseph Sefah Debrah, Denis Worlanyo Aheto, Donkris Mevutah And Wim C. Mulli
Authors Summary
This report provides an update on cetacean landing (and limited stranding) data collected along the coast of Ghana from April 2023 to March 2024; a 12-month update over the previous data (April 2022 - March 2023) presented to the 2023 International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee meeting. A total of 332 individual cetaceans were reported between April 2023 - March 2024, with the dominant species being the Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene (35.3%) and the Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuatta (21%). The minor peak landing period was in August and the major peak was in December 2023, repeating trends observed in 2022. These periods coincide with the upwelling period when dolphin prey is in abundance. The drift gillnet remains the dominant gear associated with cetacean catches in all communities. The hotspot communities for cetacean landings also remain Dixcove (31.2%), Tema (26.2%) and Axim (17.5%). The Network welcomes collaborations with relevant stakeholders including IWC's Bycatch Mitigation Initiative to further improve assessment and monitoring of bycatch as well as to explore means to reduce bycatch in the fisheries and communities identified as 'hotspot'.
Publisher
IWC
Publication Year
2024
Abstract
This report provides an update on cetacean landing (and limited stranding) data collected along the coast of Ghana from April 2023 to March 2024; a 12-month update over the previous data (April 2022 - March 2023) presented to the 2023 International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee meeting. A total of 332 individual cetaceans were reported between April 2023 - March 2024, with the dominant species being the Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene (35.3%) and the Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuatta (21%). The minor peak landing period was in August and the major peak was in December 2023, repeating trends observed in 2022. These periods coincide with the upwelling period when dolphin prey is in abundance. The drift gillnet remains the dominant gear associated with cetacean catches in all communities. The hotspot communities for cetacean landings also remain Dixcove (31.2%), Tema (26.2%) and Axim (17.5%).