West Africa Shellfish Hub

Very well deserved! Those of us who have worked closely with you have long known that your hard work, passion, dedication, selflessness and outstanding contributions to the university would bring you this far, and even beyond. Your leadership, integrity, and commitment to excellence continue to inspire many of us. Congratulations, Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto

At a glance: Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto

■ Born on 1 April, 1972 at Nsawam in the Eastern Region

■Hails from Adutor in the Volta Region

■Completed O’ Level in 1990 at St. Martins’ Secondary School, Nsawam

■Had A’ Level in 1992 at the Pope Johns’ Secondary School, Koforidua

■Obtained Bsc. (Hons) Degree in Biological Sciences and a Diploma in Education in 1998 at the University of Cape Coast (UCC)

■Worked as a Teaching Assistant at the then Department of Botany at the UCC from 1998-99

■Served Ghana Education Service as a Biology Teacher at the St. Augustine’s College in 1999

■Completed his master’s degree in Rural Development Studies at the Swedish Agricultural University in Uppsala in 2002.

■Had MSc. Degree in International Studies in Tropical Aquatic Ecology at the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology in 2004

■Obtained a PhD Degree in Environmental Science at the Center for Environment and Technology at the University of Bremen, Germany, in 2008

■ Appointed as a lecturer at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS) at UCC in 2009

■Appointed as Casford Hall Tutor in 2010

■Promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2012 and appointed as Head of DFAS in the same year

■During his term of office as Head of DFAS, he led the formal establishment of the Centre for Coastal Management in 2013 and was appointed its first Director in 2016.

■ In 2015, he won the distinguished Lecturer award at the University of Cape Coast for his commitment, dexterity and diligence in the work of the University.

■ Published over 50 peer reviewed academic papers in reputable journals over a period of 14 years

■ His standing as an accomplished academic is further demonstrated in the number of organisations interested in funding his research and these include World Bank, among others

■ Staunch Catholic and his hobbies include music, travelling and family leisure time

■Married to Mrs. Cythia Aheto and they are blessed with a son, Arnold Sefa Aheto

■Promoted to Associate Professor in 2017


■Promoted to full-fledged Professor in 2020

■Delivered inaugural Lecture on the topic: “ Our Oceans: Securing Our Common Future Through Transformative Research” on Thursday, 9 November, 2023.

■Appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC on 19th December, 2024.

■Took office as Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC on 1st January, 2025.

■Appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor of UCC on 24th September, 2025.

■Appointed as Vice-Chancellor of UCC on Friday, May 15, 2026.

It’s exciting to see our partners Hen Mpoano - Our Coast demonstrate the clam depuration depot at Ada to the Minister of Fisheries!!

Fun fact: Researchers at the Shellfish Hub were at the forefront of the design and build of this first depuration depot in Ada. At the core of this activity is to deliver healthy, safe, quality shellfish within and beyond our coastal communities.

Innovation meets fisheries development in Ada.

Hon Emelia Arthur , Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture just visited Hen Mpoano’s clam depuration pilot system an initiative helping improve clam safety and processing within Ghana’s fisheries sector on day one of her Inland Fisheries Tour.

The visit also sparked important discussions around investment, training, markets, and the future of clam livelihoods.

👉 Read the full story: https://henmpoano.org/hen-mpoanos-novel-clam-depuration-technology-gains-ministerial-attention-in-ada/

The Journal of Fisheries and Coastal Management (JFCoM) is back and actively seeking reviewers! 🌊🐟
As a peer-reviewed, open-access platform advancing research in , , and coastal systems across Africa, plays a vital role in shaping , , and practice.
If you’re passionate about contributing to knowledge in this space, consider joining the reviewer community.
🔗Find out more and apply: https://acecor.ucc.edu.gh/call-reviewers-journal-fisheries-and-coastal-management-jfcom

It's 69 years of celebrating the culture, our , and the we proudly share.

As we reflect on how far we have come as a nation, let's also reflect on how better we can our today to secure Ghana's tomorrow.

CCM-ACECOR wishes all a Happy Independence day

Protecting the environment is not optional, it is essential to human survival.

Let’s start this week with a renewed commitment to protect what sustains us all.

Have a wonderful and purposeful week.
💚 💙 🩵

We are excited to share with you the first publication from our team this year!

This paper on the "Morphological Evidence of Phenotypic Plasticity in Shells of Oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) from Sub- Habitats in the Densu Estuary, Ghana" was authored by Dr. Isaac Kofi Osei, Professor Edward Adzesiwor Obodai and Professor Kobina Nyankson.

The paper examines how environmental variation within the Densu Estuary shapes the shell morphology of the West African mangrove oyster (Crassostrea tulipa), providing evidence of phenotypic plasticity.

It finds clear differences in shell shape, growth patterns, and condition indices among oysters from different sub-habitats, which are linked to variations in salinity, pH, turbidity, and water depth.

Oysters in more stressful, shallow environments showed shell growth patterns that appear adaptive, likely enhancing survival and reproductive potential under fluctuating conditions. These results suggest that C. tulipa can adjust its morphology in response to local environmental pressures rather than relying solely on fixed genetic traits, although the authors note that genetic or transplant studies would be needed to confirm this definitively.

Based on these findings, the paper recommends that oyster management, conservation, and aquaculture planning in the Densu Estuary should explicitly account for habitat-specific environmental conditions, as local variability plays a key role in oyster performance and sustainability

Read more here; https://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.70170

Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) West Africa Shellfish Hub

The Shellfish Hub proudly celebrates you on this remarkable milestone. Congratulations, Dr. Ernest Obeng Chuku, Deputy Coordinator of Shellfish Hub 💐👏👏

Today we take the opportunity to celebrate all the Women Shellfisher groups across West Africa working hard to protect their livelihood and the environment through co-management and other sustainable shellfish harvesting initiatives!