Women in Fisheries: An Overview of Their Role in Aquaculture and Fisheries

The Role of Women in Fisheries and Aquaculture

On International Women’s Day, it is essential to recognize that women in fisheries still face significant challenges in achieving gender equality. While the aquaculture and fisheries sector has expanded over the past decades, the contribution of women remains largely overlooked. Women play a vital role in production, processing, and trade, yet leadership opportunities remain limited.

Invisible but Ubiquitous: Women’s Work in Fisheries

Women are more common in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, particularly in household farms. Within family businesses, women manage post-harvest activities, processing, marketing, and sales. However, in commercialized and industrial fisheries, their roles often become marginalized. Many are confined to low-wage positions, with fewer opportunities to become managers, owners, or executives.

Standards and certification schemes have attempted to address gender disparities in fisheries, but their impact remains insufficient. To advance gender equality, these efforts must align with Sustainable Development Goal #5 (Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls) and Sustainable Development Goal #8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). However, change is only possible if all stakeholders, governments, businesses, and local communities, actively work toward greater inclusion. Furthermore, every stage of production, from planning and development to monitoring and evaluation, should actively incorporate gender equality.

Strengthening Gender Inclusion in Fisheries

Organizations such as the Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section (GAFS) and the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) promote cooperation between scientists, technicians, fisheries officers, and NGOs to address women’s challenges in fisheries. These initiatives provide valuable research and practical solutions to advance gender equity in Asia-Pacific and beyond. Countries such as Malaysia could benefit from such partnerships, ensuring that women in fisheries have greater access to economic opportunities, fair wages, and leadership positions.

For more details, visit the GAFS website.