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In a recent DW Documentary investigation, an annual killing of thousands of dolphins in Ghana demonstrates the overall destruction of marine ecosystems and desperation of the coastal communities struggling to find any alternative means to make a living.
For generations, the ocean has been providing for the entire coastal communities in Ghana.
In the context of unpleasant statistics provided by a recent DW Documentary investigation, an estimated number of dolphins being killed there is around 10,000. Notwithstanding the legal protection of the species since 1971, in parts of the western coast of Ghana, dolphins became a source of food and money making.
It’s obviously a disturbing statistic, but in focusing on that alone, one can lose sight of the bigger picture. This is not only about hunting being illegal. It is about how the environmental crisis, inequality, and poor fisheries management create a deadly mixture.
Small artisanal fishers of Ghana are usually the first victims of the collapsing marine ecosystem. Small pelagic fish, like sardinella and anchovies, which used to be abundant in West African waters, decreased sharply during recent decades. The main reasons pointed out by scientists, are overfishing, climate change, habitat destruction, and illegal fishing practices.
One of the major pressures is caused by industrial fishing.
Industrial trawlers, usually owned by foreign companies, catch millions of tons of fish in West African waters annually. Even though industrial fishing operations take place within the licensing system, questions arise regarding the efficiency of those regulations and their ability to ensure proper protection of the local fisheries from overexploitation.
When traditional catches become scarce, fishing communities are forced to adapt. In circumstances like these, adaptation can mean turning to species that were previously considered untouchable.
Conservation campaigns often approach dolphin hunting primarily as a law-enforcement issue. Greater monitoring and stronger enforcement can certainly help, but the problem runs much deeper.
It is difficult to expect communities to prioritise wildlife protection when their own livelihoods are disappearing.
Around the world, biodiversity loss and poverty often go hand in hand. Forests are cleared for agriculture, while endangered species are hunted for food or income. These are examples of what happens when economic survival comes into direct conflict with conservation. Unless the social and economic pressures facing communities are addressed, environmental laws risk becoming little more than words on paper.
That is why the conversation around dolphin hunting in Ghana cannot stop at the coastline.
