Strengthening OMI’s Partnership with Local Fisherfolk

A key part of OMI’s fieldwork is the strong and lasting partnership we have built with local fisherfolk along the Ghanaian coast. During our summer cruise, members of the fishing community played an important role in supporting the deployment of our sediment trap (STT) and other field activities.

Following the deployment, fisherfolk remained in the area overnight to help watch over the instrument and ensure that it remained undisturbed. Their support, local knowledge and familiarity with the coastal environment continue to be invaluable to the success of our field operations.

The partnership also extends beyond logistical support. Some fisherfolk joined the OMI team onboard the GNS Aflao, where they had the opportunity to observe how oceanographic data and samples are collected and learn more about the scientific questions guiding the research.

For OMI, this is more than collaboration during a single field campaign. It is a long-term partnership built on trust, shared learning and a common interest in understanding and protecting the Gulf of Guinea. OMI is proud to work alongside the communities whose livelihoods and everyday experiences are closely connected to the ocean we study.