Vulnerability factors of shellfisherwomen in the face of oil spill events: An analysis of the Prestige case

Abstract

Increasingly frequent disasters involving oil spills in coastal zones highlight the vulnerability faced by women's groups that are highly dependent on the marine environment. Based on the theoretical contribution of feminist environmentalism and the interpretative approach of the pressure and release model (PAR model), this paper verifies the progressive vulnerability of Galician shellfisherwomen in the period prior to the 2002 Prestige disaster in Spain. The main findings reveal the marginal position occupied by shellfisherwomen within the fishing sector. Moreover, they demonstrate the shellfisherwomen's dependency on a fragile coastal zone constantly threatened by pollution yet lacking adequate protection measures. This combination of factors exposed the social-environmental system maintained by shellfisherwomen to the risk of an oil disaster, increasing the vulnerability of women in that region. This study employs a gender vulnerability analysis to better understand oil disasters, and makes recommendations to improve future disaster preparedness and response, thereby benefiting people at risk.