Flosell proposes Ghana’s first commercial mariculture project to tackle fish deficit

GHANA – Flosell Farms, a Ghanaian aquaculture company focused on sustainable fish production, has initiated high-level discussions with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development over a proposed large-scale mariculture investment that could significantly reshape Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture landscape.

The talks, led by Flosell’s Co-Founder, Mr Evans Kwadzo Danso, were held with the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur. 

Central to the discussions was the unlocking of new investment opportunities across the fisheries value chain, particularly in marine-based aquaculture.

At the heart of the proposal is the establishment of Ghana’s first commercial mariculture operation through Flosell’s marine aquaculture subsidiary, Gold Coast Mariculture Limited. 

Addressing a 700,000-metric-tonne fish deficit

According to Mr Danso, Ghana faces an annual shortfall of approximately 700,000 metric tonnes of fresh fish, a gap that continues to drive imports and strain foreign exchange reserves. 

He explained that mariculture, the farming of fish in open-sea environments, offers a sustainable solution to the deficit while reducing the country’s dependence on imported fish.

“This project is designed to be transformational,” Mr Danso said. “Beyond addressing the fish deficit, it will create up to 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, stimulate coastal economies, and position Ghana as a leading mariculture hub in the West African sub-region.”

The proposed investment, expected to be the first of its kind in West Africa, will be fully financed by Flosell Limited and its Norwegian partners. 

Mr Danso emphasised that the government would not bear any financial burden apart from granting the necessary concessions and regulatory approvals.

Welcoming the proposal, Hon. Emelia Arthur described the initiative as a significant boost to Ghana’s aquaculture and broader blue economy agenda. 

She highlighted the country’s export potential and stressed that all project-related research outputs must be jointly developed and owned, in line with Ghana’s national development priorities.

If implemented, the project could mark a major turning point in Ghana’s fisheries transformation, strengthening food security, creating sustainable employment, and expanding the country’s footprint in regional and international seafood markets.

Burkina Faso expands cage aquaculture

Ghana’s proposed offshore mariculture investment comes at a time when other West African nations are also intensifying efforts to boost local fish production.

In Burkina Faso, the Minister of Agriculture, Ismael Sombié, recently inaugurated a new aquaculture production site in Dori, located in the Liptako region in the country’s northeast. The facility, centred on the Yakouta Dam reservoir, currently operates 22 floating cages stocked with more than 150,000 fingerlings.

Launched on February 4, the initiative aims to reduce fish imports and enhance domestic supply.

At the inauguration ceremony, Minister Sombié underscored the importance of ensuring affordable, locally produced fish for Burkinabè households while cutting reliance on external markets.

While Burkina Faso’s initiative focuses on inland cage aquaculture and Ghana’s proposal targets offshore mariculture, both efforts reflect a growing regional shift toward strengthening food security, reducing import dependence, and harnessing aquaculture as a driver of economic growth.

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