Coastal Erosion Migration: The Displacement of Ghana’s Shama Fisherfolk

Introduction: A Vanishing Shoreline, a Disappearing Livelihood

Along the sun-drenched coast of Ghana’s Central Region, a silent crisis is unfolding. The community of Shama Apo, a historic fishing enclave, is witnessing an exodus. This is not migration in search of opportunity, but a forced retreat from an advancing sea. Coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change, is destroying the very foundation of life for these fisherfolk, triggering a pattern of climate-induced displacement. This article provides a comprehensive, evidence-based examination of the migration of Shama’s fishing community. We will analyze the direct environmental and economic drivers, detail the profound social consequences, review existing intervention efforts, and outline practical pathways toward building resilience. The story of Shama Apo is a critical case study in the human cost of coastal degradation and a urgent call for integrated adaptation planning.

Key Points at a Glance

• Rapid Population Decline: Survey data reveals a catastrophic drop from 948 fishermen and 195 canoes in 2016 to just 546 fishermen and 94 canoes in 2022—a loss of over 40% of the fishing workforce in six years.
• Primary Drivers: Aggressive tidal waves, recurrent flooding, erratic rainfall, and rising sea temperatures are depleting fish stocks near shore and making fishing increasingly dangerous and unprofitable.
• Forced Migration Patterns: Fisherfolk are relocating internally to other Ghanaian coastal areas and, in some cases, to neighboring countries in search of viable fishing grounds and alternative livelihoods.
• Multi-Sectoral Impact: The migration triggers homelessness, loss of cultural identity, economic instability, and increased pressure on receiving communities.
• Existing Interventions: Government sea defense walls and NGO-led mangrove restoration projects offer some mitigation, but resources are insufficient for the scale of the crisis.
• Path Forward: Experts call for integrated strategies combining hard infrastructure, ecosystem-based adaptation, livelihood diversification, and strengthened national climate adaptation policies aligned with SDGs 8 and 13.

Background: The Heart of Shama Apo’s Fishing Economy

Geographic and Economic Context

Shama Apo is a quintessential coastal landing site within the Shama Municipality of Ghana’s Central Region. For generations, its economy and social fabric have been inextricably linked to the Atlantic Ocean. The primary economic activity is small-scale, artisanal fishing, primarily using wooden canoes. This sector is not just an industry; it is the lifeblood of the community, providing direct income for thousands and supporting ancillary businesses like fish processing, net mending, and local retail.

Documenting the Decline: The Canoe Survey Data

The magnitude of the crisis is quantified by the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen’s Survey. A baseline survey conducted in 2016 recorded 948 active fishermen operating 195 canoes from the Shama Apo landing site. A follow-up survey in 2022 painted a starkly different picture: only 546 fishermen remained, with a mere 94 canoes. This represents a loss of 402 fishermen (over 42%) and 101 canoes (over 51%) within a six-year period. This demographic and economic contraction is a direct indicator of the livelihood collapse occurring on the coast.

Analysis: Unpacking the Drivers and Consequences of Coastal Migration

Climate Change as a Direct Threat to Fishing Operations

The testimonies from Shama’s fishermen and leaders point unequivocally to changing environmental conditions. Nana Enu Bassal, the Chief Fisherman (Chief Fisherman) at Shama Apo, articulates the core problem: aggressive wave action. “The waves have pushed the fishes away, forcing the fishermen to migrate to other places,” he states. This phenomenon has multiple dimensions:

• Depletion of Near-Shore Fish Stocks: Warmer sea surface temperatures and altered ocean currents disrupt breeding and feeding grounds, causing fish to migrate farther offshore or to different latitudes, beyond the range of traditional small-canoe fishing.
• Increased Operational Danger: As Kweku Abeiku, a canoe owner, describes, “When the waves become aggressive, we try to bring everything under control, but if we fail the boat will capsize and we will lose at least half of our catch.” The frequency and intensity of storm surges and high tidal waves make launching and returning with canoes perilous, leading to loss of life, equipment, and catch.
• Recurrent Flooding and Erosion: Erratic, intense rainfall events contribute to coastal flooding and accelerated shoreline erosion. This not only damages infrastructure like storage facilities and homes but also silts up lagoons and estuaries that serve as vital nursery grounds for many fish species.

Economic Pressures and the Migration Decision

The environmental changes translate directly into economic ruin. When catch volumes plummet and the risk of total loss increases, the cost-benefit analysis of staying becomes untenable. The decision to migrate is rarely a choice between two good options, but a last resort to avoid absolute poverty. Fishermen and their families become “trapped populations” in situ until the loss of assets and food security forces movement. As one fisherman noted, they now spend “days and weeks going to places where we can get a large catch,” indicating a shift from daily or weekly trips to extended, migratory fishing expeditions that further strain family and community cohesion.

Social Disruption and Community Fragmentation

The outflow of people has cascading social effects:

• Loss of Social Capital: The departure of experienced fishermen and canoe owners erodes the community’s collective knowledge, leadership, and social networks.
• Gender and Family Impacts: While migration is often male-dominated, the resulting economic strain affects entire households. Women, traditionally involved in fish processing and trading, face reduced raw material supply, leading to income loss. Children’s education is often interrupted as families move or children are needed for labor in new locations.
• Cultural Erosion: Fishing is not just a job but a cultural identity. The dismantling of this way of life leads to a loss of traditional knowledge, practices, and community cohesion.
• Pressure on Destination Areas: Influxes of climate migrants can strain resources, infrastructure, and social services in receiving communities, potentially creating new tensions.

Practical Advice: Pathways to Resilience and Adaptation

For Government and Policymakers

As highlighted by the Shama District NADMO (National Disaster Management Organization) administrator, Mr. Martin Evy, government interventions like sea defense walls provide critical protection. To scale impact:

• Accelerate and Expand Coastal Defense Infrastructure: Prioritize funding for the construction and maintenance of sea walls, groins, and beach nourishment projects in critically eroding communities like Shama Apo, based on rigorous engineering and environmental impact assessments.
• Formalize Support Mechanisms: Move beyond ad-hoc relief to establish sustainable support systems. This includes subsidized fuel (as requested by the Chief Fisherman), insurance schemes for fishing assets, and low-interest loans for boat and net repair or alternative business ventures.
• Integrate Climate Adaptation into National Planning: Fully operationalize Ghana’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) with specific, funded actions for climate-vulnerable fishing communities. This must align with Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by ensuring adaptation efforts create and sustain jobs.
• Develop Managed Retreat and Relocation Policies: For communities where protection is impossible or unsustainable, develop ethical, planned relocation frameworks with full community participation, ensuring land tenure security and livelihood restoration in new locations.

For NGOs, International Organizations, and Researchers

• Scale Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA): Support large-scale mangrove restoration and conservation, as Friends of the Nations has begun. Mangroves act as natural breakwaters, reduce erosion, sequester carbon, and serve as fish nurseries—providing a triple win for climate adaptation, biodiversity, and fisheries.
• Invest in Diversification of Livelihoods: Fund and facilitate training in alternative income-generating activities such as sustainable aquaculture (e.g., seaweed farming, oyster culture), beekeeping, ecotourism, or handicrafts. This reduces sole dependence on increasingly unreliable fishing.
• Strengthen Early Warning Systems and Data Collection: Help install community-based weather and ocean monitoring systems. Support continuous, rigorous socio-economic and fisheries surveys to track migration patterns and intervention effectiveness, providing data for evidence-based policy.
• Facilitate Knowledge Exchange: Connect Shama’s fisherfolk with communities elsewhere that have successfully adapted to coastal changes to share best practices in both fishing techniques and alternative livelihoods.

For Fishing Communities and Individuals

• Form and Strengthen Cooperatives: Collective action increases bargaining power for inputs (fuel, ice), access to credit, and the ability to invest in shared infrastructure like cold storage or processing facilities.
• Adopt Sustainable Fishing Practices: Work with fisheries management authorities to implement measures like regulated mesh sizes, closed seasons, and protected areas to allow fish stocks to recover, ensuring long-term viability.
• Engage in Community-Based Monitoring: Participate in local observation networks to track shoreline change, storm impacts, and fish landings, providing ground-truth data for scientists and planners.
• Pursue Skills Development: Proactively seek training in complementary skills—boat engine repair, small business management, literacy and numeracy—to enhance resilience and create options beyond full-time fishing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the main cause of migration from Shama Apo?

The primary cause is climate change-driven coastal degradation, specifically increased frequency and intensity of tidal waves, flooding, and shoreline erosion. These environmental changes have drastically reduced near-shore fish catches and made fishing activities more dangerous, destroying the economic base of the community.

Where are the fishermen from Shama Apo migrating to?

Migration patterns are both internal and cross-border. Internally, fishermen move to other Ghanaian coastal areas like those in the Western Region or further east where conditions may temporarily be better. Some also migrate to neighboring countries like Côte d’Ivoire or Togo in search of fishing grounds. The migration is often temporary and cyclical, following fish stocks, but is becoming more permanent as home conditions deteriorate.

What is the government