Aquaculture production in Ghana 2008-2021

Aquaculture production in Ghana amounted to some 89,400 metric tons in 2021. This volume represented a dramatic increase from 2008 when the country registered only 5.59 metric tons of plants grown in water and fish produced for food.
Tilapia and catfish are the two most common species of fish in aquaculture production in Ghana. In 2021, the country produced around 68,700 metric tons of tilapia and 20,660 metric tons of catfish. Also, the total revenue from aquaculture production in the country amounted to 1.7 billion Ghanaian cedis, about 140 million U.S. dollars, that year.

Fish production is on the rise

Fish production in the country reached over 539,200 metric tons in 2021. This comprised inland and marine fisheries. Ghana’s coastline on the Gulf of Guinea facing the Atlantic Ocean provides direct access to the sea for fishing. In 2021, about 394,000 metric tons of the total fish production came from marine fisheries, representing over 70 percent. Moreover, between 2014 and 2021, the country’s fish production increased by almost 44 percent.

Traditional fishing is in the lead

Compared to other methods of fishing, canoe fishing dominates in terms of production volume. In 2021, this traditional form of fishing registered about 223,100 metric tons in production. On the other hand, trawlers were used to catch just over 66,400 metric tons of fish in the same year, while the quantity of fish produced by tuna vessels was just under 87,700 metric tons.