Denis W. Aheto is a Professor of Coastal Ecology and Interdisciplinary Oceans Studies and Director of the Centre for Coastal Management - The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast. He holds PhD and MSc Degrees in Environmental Sciences and Tropical Aquatic Ecology respectively from the University of Bremen. He also holds an MSc. Degree in Rural Development from the Swedish Agricultural University. He earned his BSc (Hons) Degree from the University of Cape Coast. Professor Aheto is a distinguished scholar, with over 15 years of scientific project management experience. He is the authorized representative of institutional donor funded projects in marine/coastal and fisheries management at the University of Cape Coast funded by the World Bank, African Union, USAID, DANIDA among others. He’s passionate about international academic partnerships in his area of professional work. He has an outstanding intellectual publication record in indexed journals on issues of coastal/marine ecosystem conservation, small-scale fisheries, marine spatial planning, wetlands ecology, and marine conflict issues. He serves on several national and international Boards including his role as technical advisor to West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program of the World Bank. He holds several meritorious awards for his contributions to his field of professional work.
Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto
About
Focus & expertise
Specializations
Recent activity
USAID - Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Project: US$ 50,000
Australian Aid - Fishing for Security in the Gulf of Guinea Project: AUD 60,000
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project: US$ 5.5 million
Ghana Government Skills Development Fund - Public-Private Partnership Project for Aquaculture Development in Ghana: US$ 350,000
USAID - Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) of the University of Rhode Island: US$ 1 million
Background
🎓 Education & qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science
Center for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology, University of Bremen
2008
Master of Science in International Studies in Tropical Aquatic Ecology
Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology, University of Bremen
2004
Master of Science in Rural Development Studies
Swedish Agricultural University
2002
Diploma in Education
University of Cape Coast
1998
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
University of Cape Coast
1998
★ Career & positions
Director
Centre for Coastal Management - ACECoR
Aug, 2020 to Sep, 2025
Pro-Vice Chancellor
Pro Vice-Chancellor's Office
Jan, 2025 to Aug, 2026
Acting Vice-Chancellor
Vice-Chancellor's Office
Sep, 2025 to Aug, 2026
Career progression
Start date unknown
No university appointment date is on record, so this timeline begins at the earliest recorded change.
Professor
Prof. · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Present
Teaching & projects
Projects
New Frontiers Research Fund (NFRF). - Climate Change Adaptation, Dispossession and Displacement (ADD+) Project : CAD$ 450,000
Co-Principal Investigator
January 2024 - December 2027
New Frontiers Research Fund (NFRF). - Co-developing Decision Support Tools for Mangrove-based Socioecological Systems in Eastern and Western Africa (CoastMan) : CAD$ 500,000
Co-Principal Investigator
January 2024 - December 2027
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - Development of Integrated Sediment and Environmental Management towards Sustainable Conservation, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Livelihood Improvements in Coastal Areas.: YEN 35 million yen (JST) + 60 million
Project Lead
January 2024 - December 2027
The University of New South Wales/ Global Ocean Accounts Partnership. - Ocean Accounting in Ghana : AUD $ 244,750.
Team Member
January 2024 - December 2026
World Bank/MESTI - WACA Resilience Investment Program (RESIP II): US$ 2 million
Project Lead
January 2024 - December 2025
Ocean Country Partnership Programme/Cefas/UKAID - Delivery of a short course on Marine Litter for the West Africa Region under OCPP : £88,605
Team member
January 2024 - December 2024
Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada - Solving the Sustainability Challenges at the Food, Climate and Biodiversity Nexus (FCB) Project: CAD 2.5 million
Co-Principal Investigator
January 2023 - December 2030
Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Canada - Avu Lagoon Community Protected Area (ALCPA) Project: CAD$ 603,241
Team member
January 2023 - December 2025
USAID/ Tetratec - Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA): US$ 370,000
Project Leader, Ghana
January 2023 - December 2025
US Department of State/ American Embassy, Accra - Promoting Transparency, Accountability, and Local Capacity to Address the Destabilizing Impacts of Foreign Distant Water Fishing Vessels in the Gulf of Guinea and in the Waters of Mauritania Project : US$
Project Co-Lead
January 2023 - December 2024
US Department of State/ American Embassy, Accra - Addressing IUU in the Gulf of Guinea through Effective Training in Fisheries Management and Climate Change Adaptation (ProFishAdapt) Project: US$ 70,000
Project Coordinator
January 2023 - December 2024
French Development Agency (AFD) & Global Development Network (GDN) - Assessment of Ecosystem-based livelihoods on biodiversity of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar site (KLCRS) in Ghana: US$ 40,000
Team member
January 2021 - December 2024
Association of African Universities - Marine Litter Network (MALNET) Project among ACE Impact Centres and collaborators across the West African Region as a whole. The project involved ACEs in Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin and Burkina Faso: US$ 100,000
Project Coordinator
January 2021 - December 2023
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) - Coast Under Control: Euro 50,000
Team member
January 2021 - December 2023
Lighthouse Foundation, Germany - Coastal and Marine Conservation Drive Project (COMADRIP): Euro 20,000
Project Lead
January 2021 - December 2022
Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada - Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Project: CAD 2.5 million
Co-Principal Investigator
January 2020 - December 2027
USAID Women Shellfishers and Food Security Project : US$ 1 million
Co-Principal Investigator
January 2020 - December 2025
University of Washington, United States - Nippon Foundation Ocean Litter Project: US$18,315.41
Team member
January 2020 - December 2022
European Union - Power to the Fishers Project: Euro 30,000
Team Lead
January 2020 - December 2022
USAID - COVID-19 Intervention in Fishing Communities: US$ 60,000
Project Coordinator
January 2020 - December 2021
World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR): US 6.4 million
Director
January 2019 - December 2025
DANIDA Research-Based Management of the Gulf of Guinea (HOTSPOT) Project: DKK 11 million
Project Manager
January 2018 - December 2024
National Geographic, TWAS, and French Embassy - Beachmon Project: US$ 60,000
Team member
January 2018 - December 2020
Developing manuals for detecting fish caught and processed through illegal methods and Coolaborative research on Cuttlefish in Ghana funded by USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project: US$ 10,000
Coordinator
January 2017 - Present
USAID - Collaborative Research Project on Mapping Cuttlefish Distribution, Life Cycle and Breeding Grounds in the Marine Waters of Ghana: US$ 50,000
Project Lead
January 2015 - December 2016
USAID - Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) of the University of Rhode Island: US$ 1 million
Project Coordinator
January 2014 - December 2020
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project: US$ 5.5 million
Project Manager
January 2014 - December 2020
Ghana Government Skills Development Fund - Public-Private Partnership Project for Aquaculture Development in Ghana: US$ 350,000
Project Coordinator
January 2014 - December 2016
Fishing for Security in the Gulf of Guinea: AUS 60,000
Co-PI
January 2014 - December 2015
Australian Aid - Fishing for Security in the Gulf of Guinea Project: AUD 60,000
Project Coordinator
January 2013 - December 2014
USAID - Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) Project: US$ 50,000
Project Coordinator
January 2009 - December 2012
USAID Integrated Coastal & Fisheries Management Project: US$ 50,000
UCC Contact Person
January 2009 - December 2012
Publications ORCID 0000-0001-5722-1363 →
Engagements
📅 Conferences attended
Honors & affiliations
Colleagues & frequently viewed together
Prof. Joseph Aggrey-Fynn
Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Dr. Emmanuel Acheampong
Senior Lecturer · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Prof. Isaac Okyere
Associate Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Dr. Paul Kojo Mensah
Senior Lecturer · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Prof. Edward Adzesiwor Obodai
Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Prof. Kobina Yankson
Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Dr. Marcelinus Dery
Lecturer · Department of Communication Studies
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation
›
Mr. Otsibu Kofi Saarah
Library Assistant · Clients Services Department
Ecology and Management of Coastal Water Bodies and Mangrove Wetlands
›
Dr. Richard Adade
Research Fellow · Centre for Coastal Management - ACECoR
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation
›
Prof. Joseph Aggrey-Fynn
Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Prof. (Mrs.) Christine Adu-Yeboah
Professor · Pro Vice-Chancellor's Office
›
Prof. Justus Precious Deikumah
Professor · Department of Conservation Biology and Entomology
›
Dr. Paul Kojo Mensah
Senior Lecturer · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Dr. Emmanuel Acheampong
Senior Lecturer · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
Prof. Edward Adzesiwor Obodai
Professor · Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
›
