Influence of migrant Western Regional shark fishers on shark fishing practices along the eastern coastline of Ghana

Sharks have formed an integral part of Ghana’s fisheries for many years, although in many areas outside the Western Region, they are often captured as bycatch. The shark fishery in the Dangme communities along the eastern coastline of Ghana has, however, over the last decade, acquired a commercial character that is believed to have been influenced by migrant fishers from the Western Region. This study thus sought to characterise the influence of the migrant fishers in the development of the thriving shark fishery in Dangme communities. Data collection was through key informant interviews, questionnaire administration to 180 randomly selected native and migrant fishers from the selected communities, and observations of fishing practices. Until the mid-2000 s, only the migrant fishers carried out targeted shark fishing along the Dangme coastline. Presently, however, a significant number of native fishers have redirected their fishing efforts towards shark fishing in the face of dwindling catches from the small pelagic fisheries, which were the primary target of the fisheries. Accounts 75 % of native fishers indicated that the declines in small pelagic fish stocks coupled with the influence of the migrant shark fishers have acted synergistically to influence the shark fisheries dynamics along the Dangme coastline. Despite the average ages of the native and migrant fishers being fairly the same (∼36 years), the migrants possessed a more profound understanding of the marine ecosystem where they operated based on historical antecedents and their longer interactions with the shark fishing zones. Presently, this new fishery, like shark fishing in other shark fishing hotspots in Ghana, is unregulated, but it will be imperative for national fisheries authorities to implement some management measures to reduce fishing pressure on the most vulnerable species.