In Ghana, one man's race to save critically endangered fish Andrew Zinin Chief Editor As dawn breaks over Ghana's Atlantic coast, artisanal fishing boats return to shore with last night's catch—baskets of snapper, crabs, rays and a distinct-looking fish locals call "esene." Once abundant along Ghana's shores, esene, or guitarfish—with the flattened body of a ray and the tail of a shark—have become increasingly difficult to find. For conservationist Issah Seidu, 36, every landing is a reminder that time is running out to save the endangered species. After studying terrestrial wildlife, he visited coastal fishing communities in 2018 and encountered what scientists describe as one of the world's least-known conservation crises.

"We came to these communities and saw piles of sharks, rays and guitarfish being landed without any thought about conservation," Seidu told AFP. "That was the moment I realized somebody had to do something," said the wildlife biologist, who never dreamed of a career revolving around the sea. Guitarfish—relatives of both sharks and rays—are among the world's most threatened marine fish, listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Their meat is a delicacy widely eaten locally, while their fins command high prices in international markets. Across West Africa, populations have collapsed. Sawfish may have already disappeared from Ghana's waters, and wedgefish, another close relative, have become increasingly scarce.

Seidu fears guitarfish could be next. Winning over fishermen The biggest challenge has been persuading fishermen to stop catching one of their most valuable species. Seidu's NGO, AquaLife Conservancy, has helped boost knowledge about conservation.

And instead of simply asking fishermen to stop, it has helped develop snail farming as an alternative livelihood. Today, rows of giant African snails crawl inside wooden pens in Adjoa, a coastal community where fishing families are testing the new source of income. "The fishermen themselves selected snail farming," Seidu said—and they cannot meet the demand.

Edward Afful, a fisherman for 20 years, says shrinking catches have left many crews struggling to recover the cost of fuel for their boats. He now raises snails alongside fishing. "If we had started this years ago, everyone would have benefited," he said.

Locals map the sea In a historic first, Ghana in April designated a 703-square-kilometer (271-square-mile) stretch of the Atlantic Ocean as a marine protected area (MPA) to be co-managed by coastal communities and the national government. "There are very unique species in the area that need to be protected, including the guitarfish," said University of Ghana's Francis Nunoo, a professor of fisheries science. As policymakers in the capital put the finishing touches on the design and implementation of the national MPA, Seidu and local fishermen in Adjoa and Apam, several hours' drive from Accra, are already showing what it can look like.

They have created their own "locally managed marine area." Seidu equipped fishermen with GPS trackers to identify where guitarfish gather and spawn.