Research Scientist

Fisheries and Aquaculture Division,

CSIR-Water Research Institute, Ghana.

DEGREE

University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Philosophy degrees in Oceanography & Fisheries and Fisheries Science in 2006 and 2010 respectively

Mr. Solomon A. Owiradu graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Philosophy degrees in Oceanography & Fisheries and Fisheries Science in 2006 and 2010 respectively. My Master’s thesis focused on the reproductive biology of three Carangid species and sought to understand the seasonal variations in their spawning habits. I spent some time exploring different research opportunities, including participating in programs of the Fisheries Statistics and Information Services (FIPS) of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD). I volunteered for MoFAD on the EAF-Nansen Programme on board R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen to survey the demersal fish resources of the outer shelf and slope off Ghana. I joined the Fishery and Aquaculture Division of the CSIR- Water Research Institute in December 2011 as a Research Scientist.

Research Interest

I have been part of several fisheries-related Research and Development projects and programs. I was part of a team that assessed the impacts of mining operations on the ecology of the Ankobra river in Ghana funded by the West African Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) and was involved in the implementation of methods to enhance fish production in small reservoirs in the Northern Region of Ghana as part of the CPWF-(V3) (Integrated Management of Small Reservoirs for Multiple Uses in the Volta Basin) Project. I was also part of a team that assessed the flow requirements for fisheries in the Re-optimization and Re-operation of Akosombo and Kpong Dams Project in Ghana. In the past few years, I have been monitoring the fisheries and pollution of coastal ecosystems including mangroves, wetlands, estuaries and lagoons to understand how local impacts affect the productivity of coastal fisheries. My current focus is to understand the effects of climate change and anthropogenic factors on fish and fisheries. I am particularly keen on the effects on nursery ground, habitat functions and ecosystem connectivity and the implications on community structure and dynamics, productivity, sustainability of fish resources, biodiversity, resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems and food security. I am also concerned about how the effects on ecosystem connectivity affects offshore commercial fisheries and I will be using R to understand these dynamics.

Publications

Dankwa H. R., Quarcoopome T., Owiredu S. A., Amedorme E., (2016). State of fish and fisheries of Fosu lagoon, Ghana. Int. Journ. Fish. Aqua. Stud.; 4:2:259-264

Quarcoopome T. , Owiredu S. A. (2016). Aspects of the fecundity of the black-chinned tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron in the Fosu lagoon, Ghana. Ghana J. Sci. 56:15-24

Book Chapter

Environmental Flow Requirements and Impacts of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on the Fish and Fisheries of the Lower Volta River, Ghana In: Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y., Ampomah, B. Y. and Ofosu, E. A. (eds). (2017). Dams, Development and Downstream Communities: Impacts for Re-optimising the Operations of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams In Ghana. Digibooks Gh. Ltd., Tema, Ghana.

Conference Paper

Effects of Upwelling on Biological Production in the Gulf of Guinea- Applications in Fisheries Management In: UNESCO-IOC. Proceedings of the African Summer School on the Application of Ocean Data and Modelling Products, Ghana, Kenya, April-September 2014. Aura S., Backeberg B., Bemiasa J., Folorunsho R., Jiang L., Kumar M. N., Lebehot A., Mahongo S., Odido M., Reed G., Shillington F., Samiksha S. V., (Eds.) Nairobi, UNESCO, 2015 (IOC Workshop Reports, 268).

Cruise Report

FAO PROJECT: CCP/INT/003/NOR CRUISE REPORTS “DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN” EAF – N2010/4. Surveys of the demersal fish resources of the outer shelf and slope off Ghana. 30 April – 07 May 2010Bergen, November 2010