Women Fishers Research Articles

Value chain analysis of a women‐dominated wild‐caught mud crab fishery

AbstractA value chain analysis (VCA) is a cost‐effective tool to guide targeted value chain development interventions to address social wellbeing and environmental performance. Examining value chains through a gender lens can help design and implement interventions that enhance opportunities for women in the fisheries and address gender inequalities in the sector. We conducted a VCA in 2015 of the wild‐caught mud crab (Scylla serrata) fishery in Bua Province, Fiji. We found five main players involved in the selling of mud crabs – fishers, traders, retail shops, restaurants and exporters. The value chain was dominated by Indigenous (iTaukei) women fishers (88.1% of fishers) and characterised by low technological input, targeted largely for domestic markets or consumption, and with limited value‐adding activities. Although most women harvested mud crabs on a part‐time basis, it was an important source of income for most with 30% relying on it as their main livelihood. Despite being a lucrative commodity, there are several bottlenecks in the fishery – the relative informality of relationships amongst players in the value chain, the independent livelihood‐driven harvest behaviours of fishers, and opportunistic sale of products. As a result, the fishery did not meet the demands of the domestic market. Our study concluded the gendered‐skewness in the fishery increases the vulnerability of the chain to declines in economic productivity because of its reliance on irregular suppliers, and gender‐based constraints. However, the low frequency and intensity of harvesting and use of low technological harvesting methods meant the fishery was not over‐exploited and likely sustainable.

Factors Influencing Women Inclusion in Fish Value Chain in Kilombero District, Tanzania

Fishing is among livelihood activities for many residents around the world, however, women inclusion in the fishing value chain is not equal to men. This gap is attributed by different factors. The study analyses the factors that influence women inclusion in fish value chain in Kilombero District, Morogoro. Tanzania. Cross-sectional research design involving 132 women fishers was used. Systematic random and purposive sampling techniques were used. Questionnaire survey and key informant interviews were used to gather information from women fishers and Key informants for the study. The data analysis employed Multiple linear regression and thematic content analysis. It was found that awareness on fish activities, access to market fish supply, access to credit, access to license, social responsibilities, norms and customs are the important variables influencing women inclusion in fish value chain. The study concludes that awareness on fish activities, accessibility to fish markets, credit and to license are opportunities for women to engage into fish value chain while existing cultural norms and customs social responsibilities drawbacks. The study recommends that the government needs to advocate for environment that promote opportunities for women to engage into fish value chain whilst diminishing negative cultural situation that discourage women involvement into fish value chain.

Assessment of women's contribution in small‐scale fisheries in Indian Sundarbans: Issues, strategies, and way forward for sustainability

AbstractIn five islands of Indian Sundarbans, issues were identified related to women fishers associated with small‐scale fisheries (SSF) and strategies were formulated to address them in the context of “Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small‐Scale Fisheries” formulated by FAO being followed by signatory nations. Women were actively involved in different fisheries‐related sectors for earning their livelihoods. Despite the significant contribution of women in livelihood and nutritional security, their roles are often unrecognized leading to unfair distribution of benefits between men and women. The strategic and practical gender constraints were identified; “lack of awareness and low social participation” was the major factor as perceived by women fishers with the highest score (86.06). It was identified that gender‐sensitive extension approaches, training methodologies, and region‐specific appropriate technologies are to be applied to uplift the women members of the fishers' community associated with SSF. The aforesaid findings may be considered as precursors for formulating location‐specific strategies to address the gender gap and to create gender equality in SSF that will lead to increased productivity and sustainability of SSF across the world.

COVID-19 impacts on food systems in fisheries-dependent island communities

Policies designed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted food systems worldwide. How impacts played out in local food systems, and how these affected the lived experiences of different people is only just coming to light. We conducted a structured analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 containment policies on the food systems of small-scale fishing communities in Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Saint Lucia, based on interviews with men and women fishers, fish traders, and community leaders. Participants reported that containment policies lead indirectly to reduced volumes of food, lower dietary diversity, increased consumption of traditional foods, and reduced access to fish for food and income. Although the initiating policy and food and nutrition security outcomes often appeared similar, we found that the underlying pathways and feedbacks causing these impacts were different based on local context. Incorporating knowledge of how context-specific factors shape food system outcomes may be key to tailoring strategies to mitigate the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and designing timely, strategic interventions for future systemic shocks.

The Covid-19 Pandemic: Limited Water Access and the Precarity of Women Fishers at Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.

Man-made reservoirs are constructed to meet certain purposes and Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, was designed for hydroelectric power generation. However, it has developed other multiple uses, and the growth of fisheries on the lake has had a significant impact on the livelihoods of local communities. The declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic in Zimbabwe in March 2020 was quickly followed by the imposition of national lockdowns with varying levels of severity up to the present day. This was done to curtail the spread of the disease, meanwhile enhancing the nation's capacity in terms of acquiring testing kits, constructing more admission and quarantine centres as well as educating the people about ways to keep safe. In response to the calls by the government to monitor the movement of people and compliance of the lockdown rules, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZNPWMA), the governing body of the Lake Kariba fisheries, imposed rules that have significantly impacted the fishing communities at Lake Kariba. Both gillnet fishers and rod and line fishers have been impacted, but our focus here is on women rod and line fishers. Using the precarious livelihoods conceptual frameworks, we show how the changes in water management during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns has generated high levels of precariousness on the livelihoods of women at Kariba. We define precariousness as the condition of uncertainties brought to the women fishers by changes in water restrictions. The precarity of women was induced by several factors. For instance, the women fishers reported that restrictions to accessing fish in areas with high catches impacted them. They are also now obliged to pay exorbitant fishing fees in a way to discourage them to fish; they were frequently chased away from the Lake by ZNPWMA officers; they had limited amount of time to fish due to curfews; and failure to comply results in heavy fines imposed on them among other challenges. We show how these challenges interact with the current Zimbabwe socio-economic crisis to worsen the precariousness and vulnerability of women fishers at Lake Kariba. Data presented in this manuscript are based on participant observation and interviews with women fishers at Lake Kariba.

SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF WOMEN FISHER IN MUARA SELOTONG

This paper aims to identify and describe the survival strategies of women fishers in meeting the needs of family life in Muara Selotong and the distribution of marine products. In their role, women fishers do not only play a role in the domestic space but also participate to fulfill and increase income, so that they are sufficient for the family economy. This research uses a qualitative method with an ethnographic approach, research techniques include; participant observer and in-depth interviews. The results of the field research show that in helping the family's economy, women fisher in Muara Selotong work looking for shellfish, crabs and helping their husbands in looking for fish and shrimp. The technique of looking for shells and crabs uses the traditional way, namely by using a œGancu tool and watching the tides. For the sake of getting additional economics, some dare to do this work, even though they are not good at swimming. Economic demands and low levels of education are the main reasons for women to participate in helping the family economy because the income earned by men as heads of households is deemed insufficient. Women also have wider access and networks than men to distribute marine products. because women take on roles from the production stage to distribution in the market. It can be seen that the dual role of women is very helpful to meet the needs of the family.

Partisipasi Wanita Nelayan dalam Pengelolaan Lingkungan Wilayah Pesisir Kabupaten Bantul

Efforts to environmental conservation and management of fisheries products tend to focus on fishing compared with the chain of local values relating to the economy and the labor market. The participation of women fishers more often underappreciated. This study aims to determine the participation of women in the fishing and marine fisheries management in Bantul, with a qualitative approach, method of interview, observation, focus group discussions and documentation. The study took purposively selected locations on the coast and coastal New Depok Parangtritis, Bantul. The results showed a number of examples of environmental conservation programs fishermen ruled out the role of women in the planning, implementation and evaluation of programs. Women devote more time fishing on their domestic responsibilities, livelihood diversification choice more often limited. This limitation is exacerbated by the lack of education. Becomes important, when the purpose of development in line with environmental management and profitable position of women in environmental management. Because of this, awareness and participation of tourism stakeholders including women fishing is very needed in sustainable environmental management. This participation from the planning, implementation, evaluation of the benefit received by women fishers. Participation which originally symbolic of the study sites can be developed with intensive mentoring extension of the activities of women's groups of fishermen manifest into independent participation. Collective action fisher woman other than as a means of gathering, enriching also useful as an alternative source of business capital. Through the activities of formal, informal them, toma and extension convey the importance of preserving the environment. Efforts to add events, travel and travel product diversification initiated by the government and the private sector are expected to increase the participation of women fishing and sustainable environmental management.

Contribution of Women in Fisheries and Fishery Related Activities in Ponnalai, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Women’s involvement in fisheries seems to be largely invisible and unacknowledged in Jaffna Peninsula. Thus, the present study was conducted in Ponnalai village to determine the active participation of women in fisheries, analyse their socio-economic status and suggest appropriate measures to improve their livelihood. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and through interviews from October to December 2018. Randomly selected, 25 women fisher folks were interviewed and collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. In the study area, women were primarily involved in hand picking of shrimps and crabs. Results revealed that 100 % of responders were Hindus and were from traditional fishing families. It was found that 72 % of women were above 50 years in age. The educational status of fishers showed that 80% were illiterate. The fisheries sector is characterized with the participation of married and widowed women (64 %). Number of children per women fisher folk was 7 - 9 (52 %). The average monthly fish production varied between 130 kg to 312 kg (60 %) and monthly income varied from Rs.7, 800 to Rs.13, 000. It was apparent that the socio-economic status of women fishers in the study area was poor. Lack of government support, poor literacy rate and low income were the major identified constraints faced by the women fisher folk of this village. Therefore, support from governmental or non-governmental organizations by providing subsidies, loans and technological assistance are essential to improve the livelihood and their socio-economic status.

Why they must be counted: Significant contributions of Fijian women fishers to food security and livelihoods

Worldwide, small-scale fisheries (SSF) are an important source of food and livelihoods for rural communities and contribute substantially to national economies. Women play crucial roles in these fisheries, yet their contributions are largely invisible, often ignored and unrecognized. We conducted household and focus group surveys to examine the role of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) women in SSF, documenting fishing practices and contributions to household food security and income. Our results reinforced several traditional views, such as iTaukei women preferentially fishing closer to their villages; but also challenged other assumptions with women fishing a wider range of habitats (from inland rivers to the open ocean) and species than previously described, and many using a boat and fishing with men. In addition to gleaning for invertebrates and seaweed, women also caught over 100 species of fish. Women fished primarily for subsistence, emphasizing their significant contribution to household food security. Although almost half of the women sold part of their catch to supplement household incomes, they also engaged in other income earning livelihoods, and therefore were not solely dependent on fisheries. Of concern was the high targeting of nursery areas for fish and invertebrate species by women fishers, and species with low spawning potential ratios. Given the level of engagement in, and contributions to fisheries, the inclusion of iTaukei women fishers in fisheries planning and management is critical for ensuring the sustainability of SSF in Fiji. Furthermore, empowering women for full participation in fisheries and lifting them out of poverty requires a re-consideration of traditional gender norms in rural communities, which are already shifting and evolving.

Women’s belongings in UK fisheries

Research on gender in fisheries often argue that women’s contributions are important to the functioning of fisheries and are worthy of recognition. However, this has so far failed to consider how women experience and practice belonging to fisheries. This paper structures the analysis of women’s narratives around three conceptualisations of belonging: i) how women perform place-belongingness; ii) the politics of belonging; and iii) more-than-human co-constructions of belongings. To develop the conceptual approach, the paper synthesises these three concepts with an understanding of belonging as fluid and adaptable to particular situated relationships. In doing so, the paper explores how women’s gendered belongings are co-constructed and performed in the male-oriented UK fisheries contexts. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews, the paper finds that women’s practices of belonging make and maintain fishing communities and places, and that women’s practices of belonging both confirm and challenge longstanding notions of who belongs in the fishery – with women fishers challenging socio-spatial exclusions in fishing. Women’s belongings in fishing were further co-constructed in relation to the more-than-human such as fishing materialities, smells, non-human animals and the ocean. The concept of belonging helps to highlight the processes of becoming with fish, fishing and the fishery – even when there are no clear identities and identifications available for the women involved.

O TRABALHO DA MULHER PESCADORA: UM ESTUDO DE CASO NO ESTADO DO PARÁ

This study aimed to review the literature on studies carried out with women fishers in the state of Pará, namely their socioeconomic conditions and the role they play in artisanal fishing. The data search was performed on two platforms Google Scholar and BDTD, using exclusion and inclusion criteria and using logical operators. The inclusion criteria used were: i) works only with female fishers that were developed in the state of Pará; ii) works that were published in the last twenty years; iii) original works, which may be articles, dissertations and/or theses; iv) works that show the socioeconomic profile of female fishers in Pará; v) works that show the role of women in artisanal fishing. Exclusion criteria were: i) works published before 2001; ii) bibliographic review works and iii) works on fisherwomen, but which were not developed in the state of Pará, available on Google Scholar. The surveys were carried out mainly in the northeast of Pará and there are few works that show the economic and social profile of female fishermen. Despite playing an important role in artisanal fishing, especially in fish processing, the work of women fishers is still not recognized and they are still invisible to society.

Women fishers in Norway: few, but significant

Professional fishing and fisheries quota systems can affect women and men differently, yet gender analysis of quota systems is rare. In this article, we use a feminist framing and a mixed methods approach to examine the long-term gendered effects of the introduction of the 1990 quota system in Norway. Using statistics from the National Fishery Registry and the Directorate of Fisheries, we found that the number of women and men registered as fishers has declined since 1990 (an overall decline of 59%). Over this period, men have consistently outnumbered women among registered fishers (2.7–3.2% women), among boat owners (2.23% women in 2017) and particularly among owners of larger boats (> 11 m), which can have multiple quotas (0.35% women in 2017). However, changes in the age and geographic location among women fishers reflect changes to fisheries overall, as well as highlighting the gender-blind entry barriers that disproportionately impact women. In addition, contextualising statistical data with participant interviews conducted in North Norway, especially in Finnmark, enables us to examine more closely why the gender gap remains. This mixed method approach also identifies changes women and men working in fisheries have undergone, while also addressing women fishers’ political efforts to improve gender equity in Norwegian fisheries. Our study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Norwegian coastal fishing, and particularly women’s small but significant presence.

A vision at sea: women in fisheries in the Azores Islands, Portugal

In the Azores, the work of women in fisheries has been invisible and undervalued for decades. This article presents a historical review of the hidden roles of these women and how they gained a place within the fishing community through the creation of associations and participatory research collaborations. This article reviews the relationships between scientists, government and fishers, which has been variable over time. This article contributes to the growing family of concepts describing the invisibility of women in fisheries in both policy and academic circles. It contributes to understanding how participatory research and collaborative policymaking have evolved and faced challenges in the Azores region, adding empirical work to these concepts. It explores the way that women fishers have been embraced at times through the government’s support to create fishing associations, but excluded at other times, via the specific consultation practices of the decision-makers. Participatory action research helped build opportunities for the women to be seen as fishers by the public as well as acknowledged within official circles, and to gain confidence, strengthen self-esteem and gender consciousness. This work explores how economic crisis and a prioritizing of scientific expertise over community knowledge and participation have reduced women’s engagement in governance, effectively muting their voices and opportunity to contribute. It is an example for keeping both a gendered and a practitioner-expert perspective on research and policy on fisheries.

A book-essay and reflections on Margaret Willson’s book: Seawomen of Iceland: Survival on the Edge

This essay gives a summary and my reflections about Margaret Willson’s book, focusing on women, women’s conditions, and gender relations in the Icelandic fisheries and other sea-related industries. The author’s background as an American anthropologist, a hobby-diver, and a “traveller” colors the form and content of the texts and narratives. The book covers women, and to some degree also men’s lives during several centuries, from the 1700s until today. We learn about household and community life and women’s lives at sea, as well as the national and political conditions of Iceland that was under the rule of Denmark until 1944. These days, the quota regime is important for the fishing practices. One of the main points of the essay is that Willson’s book gives a unique and valuable empirical contribution of women to the Icelandic fisheries that play an important role for Iceland as a nation. Another point of the essay is that books like Willson’s book can inspire others to write a book from their own countries. A third point is that more knowledge about women fishers and other seawomen may be an important step to improve their conditions.

Improving fisheries estimates by including women’s catch in the Central Philippines

Small-scale fisheries catch and effort estimates are often built on incomplete data because they overlook the fishing of minority or marginalized groups. Women do participate in small-scale fisheries and often in ways distinct from men’s fishing. Hence, the inclusion of women’s fishing is necessary to understanding the diversity and totality of human fishing efforts. This case study examines how the inclusion of women’s fishing alters the enumeration of fishers and estimations of catch mass, fishing effort, and targeted organisms in 12 communities in the Central Philippines. Women were 42% of all fishers and contributed approximately one-quarter of the fishing effort and catch mass. Narrower definitions of fishing that excluded gleaning (gathering of benthic macroinvertebrates in intertidal areas) and part-time fishing masked the participation and contribution of most women fishers. In this case study, it is clear that overlooking women and part-time or gleaning fishers led to the underestimation of fishing effort and catch mass. Overlooking gleaning had also led to underestimation of shells and other benthic macroinvertebrates in fishing catches.

Gender and small‐scale fisheries: a case for counting women and beyond

AbstractMarine ecosystem–scale fisheries research and management must include the fishing effort of women and men. Even with growing recognition that women do fish, there remains an imperative to engage in more meaningful and relevant gender analysis to improve socio‐ecological approaches to fisheries research and management. The implications of a gender approach to fisheries have been explored in social approaches to fisheries, but the relevance of gender analysis for ecological understandings has yet to be fully elaborated. To examine the importance of gender to the understanding of marine ecology, we identified 106 case studies of small‐scale fisheries from the last 20 years that detail the participation of women in fishing (data on women fishers being the most common limiting factor to gender analysis). We found that beyond gender difference in fishing practices throughout the world, the literature reveals a quantitative data gap in the characterization of gender in small‐scale fisheries. The descriptive details of women's often distinct fishing practices nonetheless provide important ecological information with implications for understanding the human role in marine ecosystems. Finally, we examined why the data gap on women's fishing practices has persisted, detailing several ways in which commonly used research methods may perpetuate biased sampling that overlooks women's fishing. This review sheds light on a new aspect of the application of gender research to fisheries research, with an emphasis on ecological understanding within a broader context of interdisciplinary approaches.

WOMEN INVOLVEMENT IN DRY FISH VALUE CHAIN APPROACHES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD

Coastal fisherwomen of Bangladesh are marginalized yet they play a significant role in different levels of dry fish marketing chain. This study covers seven different villages of Cox’s bazaar districts. A total of 280 women fishers among - 140 fisherwomen and 140 women workers, were selected for the study. The paper applies different aspects of DFID Sustainable livelihood model in the study areas to learn the livelihood pattern of sample respondents and explores to what extent the respondents have access to these basic livelihood assets like physical, natural, financial, social and human capital. It points out that the sample women are involved in different income generating activities like drying, sorting and grading, cleaning and salting. It focuses on respondents opinion regarding the factors that affect their ability to adopt different livelihood strategies like natural resource based strategy, non-natural resource based strategy and migration strategy. Finally it suggests some innovative marketing strategies to overcome the vulnerable situation faced by the fisherwomen and adopt better livelihood strategies and thus attain sustainable livelihood through better livelihood outcome.

A case for gender equity in governance of the Okavango Delta fisheries in Botswana

AbstractFish is a major source of livelihood for the majority of people living around the Okavango Delta in northwestern Botswana. Gender dynamics and governance regimes determine differential access to, and control of, resources between women and men in the area. The purpose of this case study is to critically assess the embeddedness of gendered inequities in the governance of Okavango Delta fishery. Primary data was collected through focus group discussions and face‐to‐face interviews of 96 basket fishers from five villages along the Panhandle area of the Okavango River. The study found that past and present Okavango Delta fishery policy and programme interventions tended to entrench rather than minimize gendered disparities between women and men fishers' access to and control over fish resources, asset accumulation and employment opportunities. Basket fishers have intimate knowledge of flood variability, fish migration and habitat and use this knowledge to make decisions about when and where to harvest what fish species. Women fishers' ecological knowledge, interests and concerns however, have been excluded from current zoning and closed season regulations and co‐management structures. The paper concludes that past and current development interventions as well as the regulatory framework continue to entrench pre‐existing gender relations in the fishery sector which excludes, disempowers and marginalizes women fishers. We recommend innovative co‐management and local based structures which recognize the diversity of interests and interest groups.

Role of Women in Processing and Marketing of Dry Fish from Coastal Bangladesh – An Exploratory Study

Women fisher folk play a significant role in creating income generating activities (IGA) in different levels of dry fish marketing structure in coastal Bangladesh. This paper focuses mainly on the role of fisherwomen in processing and marketing of dry fish from coastal areas. The study covers seven different villages of Cox’s bazaar districts. A total of 280 women fishers among - 140 fisherwomen and 140 women workers, were selected for the study. The paper points out that the sample women are involved in different income generating activities like drying, sorting and grading, cleaning and salting. The paper highlights that the income generating activities and monthly income derived from those activities vary in peak and lean seasons. The paper also identifies that most of the female fishers are semiskilled or unskilled and only 12.14% of them got training from NGOs. The article shows that their attitude towards NGOs is positive as they attain bundle of benefits from the NGOs among which are getting loans, marketing assistance, creating social awareness, enjoying sanitary latrine and the likes. Finally the paper puts forward some policy recommendations to overcome the problems of the women fishers, avail opportunities of the dry fish sector and thus lead a sustainable livelihood.

Women Who Go to Sea

In this article I offer a glimpse into the activities, backgrounds and motivations of women who are involved in commercial deep sea fishing operations. Unlike traditional fisher men, women who fish commercially do not come from a background of fishing families, nor do the women experience much anticipatory socialization for the role of fisher. Women fishers are discussed in relation to women in other blue-collar occupations.