Ghana’s tourism sector is expected to rake in more foreign exchange following the discovery of Coral Reefs in its marine waters.
Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems, similar to a forest reserve which serves as a habitat for different aquatic species. Coral reefs represent unique habitats with high biodiversity, and are believed to be important habitats for some fish species, such as ling, redfish, and tusk.
The discovery is located to the West, close to the country’s border to Côte d’Ivoire. Ghana’s coral reefs have been likened to that of Norway. It is about 400 meters in deep waters.
Ghana’s coral reefs have been described as unique; it is about 1.4 kilometers long and 70 meters high.
The discovery was announced at a seminar to outdoor the Marine Environmental Baseline and Monitoring Surveys which was conducted by the Ghana and Norwegian governments since the exploration of oil in 2010.
The discovery is anticipated to boost Ecotourism in Ghana just as countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar and Norway.
Coral reef eco-tourism is successful in many developing countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, although it is just picking up in East Africa and only a handful of operators run coral reef expeditions and safaris.
According to the head of the petroleum department at the Environmental Protection Agency, Kojo Agbenor-Efunam, Ghana will soon put in documentation to declare the area a marine protected zone.
This will help it develop process to protect the area from fishing and mining activities.
“Once you have declared that as a marine protected area then you bar some activities from going there; for example fishing and oil companies going there for drilling,” Mr. Efunam told Starr Business’ Osei Owusu Amankwaah.
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