Workshop on Clearing House Mechanism CSIR-INSTI 11 – 15 May 2009

Biodiversity Management and Conservation in Ghana Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute By Theodore Quarcoopome

Biodiversity defined The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystem - Convention on Biodiversity, Article 2

Profile of CSIR-Water Research Institute One of 13 Institutes of CSIR Established in 1996 through merger of 2 Institutes Managed by Management Board & Internal Management Committee

Profile of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d 58 Research Scientists,59 Technicians 5 Main Technical Divisions viz. – Fishery Division – Surface Water Division – Ground water Division – Environmental Chemistry Division – Environmental Biology & Health

Mandate of CSIR-Water Research Institute Research into water & related resources Scientific information, strategies & services Development, utilisation & management of water resources for socio-economic development

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Fish inventory & monitoring in inland & coastal waters – River fisheries Volta L, tributaries etc  WHO OCP fish monitoring (River Pru, B. Volta, W. Volta, Oti)  World Bank IDAF Project (Yeji) – Reservoir fisheries  Weija, Kpong, Bontanga, Libga

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d ―Coastal waters e.g. Ramsar sites, other lagoons – Traditional management practices e.g. taboos, sacred groves Bia R.

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d Genetic characterisation of fishes in inland & coastal waters – Tilapia genetics project – Black-chinned tilapia project for Western Africa

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d Aquatic macro-invertebrate monitoring – Rivers, Reservoirs, Lagoons Algal studies Bacterial studies Survey of Cetaceans e.g. manatee EIAs e.g. Pre-impoundment study on Bui, Weija Dams

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d Aquatic macrophyte studies – Reservoirs e.g. Kpong, Owabi, Weija – Rivers e.g. Tano, Oti – Lagoons e.g. – Transboundary waters eg Tano-Abby- Ehy  Alien invasive plants

Contribution of CSIR-Water Research Institute Cont’d Socio-economic studies Parasitology & Entomology – Mosquito inventories – Snail inventories – Blackfly e.g. forest & savanna Raw water quality criteria & stds

International Co-operation University of Hamburg (UH) International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) UN Global Environment Facility (GEF) World Health Organisation (WHO) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) World Bank International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Consultative Group on Int. Agric Research (CGIAR) International Foundation for Science (IFS)

Local Collaboration Riparian Communities Universities (UG, UCC, KNUST) Volta River Authority (VRA) Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) NGOs e.g. GAWE, Rural Wealth Water Resources Commission (WRC) CSIR Institutes

GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU ALL THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION