Gender Dynamics in Small-Scale Fisheries

Small-scale fisheries are a cornerstone of coastal livelihoods, food security and cultural identity across the globe. Within these communities, women and men often occupy distinct yet interdependent roles along the value chain, from harvest and processing to marketing and household consumption. Women’s labour is frequently under-recognised, especially when focused on near-shore gleaning or post-harvest activities that support subsistence and local economies. Power relations shaped by institutional policies, customary norms and market structures can reinforce gender hierarchies, hindering equitable access to resources, decision-making and benefit sharing. Emerging research underscores the importance of gender-responsive governance, recognising that equitable management not only advances social justice but also strengthens ecological resilience and the long-term sustainability of fisheries.

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Gender Dynamics in Small-Scale Fisheries publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in gender dynamics in small-scale fisheries across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Small-scale fisheries (SSF): Fishing activities characterised by low-technology gear, labour-intensive methods and local or regional markets, often operated by family units or small enterprises.

Gender-based violence (GBV): Any act perpetrated against a person’s sexuality, dignity or well-being based on socially ascribed gender differences, including physical, sexual, psychological and economic harm.

Gender hegemony: The prevailing cultural and social norms that legitimise a dominant gender order, shaping expectations about acceptable roles, behaviours and relations for men and women.

Gender-responsive management: Approaches to governance and policy design that explicitly recognise and address the different needs, constraints and contributions of all genders to achieve equitable and sustainable outcomes.

References

1. Gender differences in the perceived impacts of coastal management and conservation. npj Ocean Sustainability (2024).
2. Gender‐based violence: Relevance for fisheries practitioners. Fish and Fisheries (2023).
3. Fishing businesses, women's entrepreneurship, and the performance of femininity. Journal of Rural Studies (2024).
4. Defining Small-Scale Fisheries and Examining the Role of Science in Shaping Perceptions of Who and What Counts: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Marine Science (2019).
5. Valuing invisible catches: Estimating the global contribution by women to small-scale marine capture fisheries production. PLOS ONE (2020).