Rural Sociology and Psycology

1.9.2.Women in capture fisheries

Fishing is considered as male domain as women don’t play a major role in fishing in in-shore and off-shore waters. However, in fishing in near-shore waters and rivers, they play a significant role. They also play a significant role as preparatory works in the operation of same kinds of gears (eg. long lines) and traps and also repairs and mending works of fishing gears. It has been estimated that about 25% of the labour force in pre harvest activities, 60% in export marketing and 40% in internal marketing are done by women. The entire processing sector is highly dependent on women. The other fisheries activities where women play significant roles include post-harvest operations like sun-drying, salting, smoking, preparation of other value-added products like fish/prawn pickles, masmin and fish curry either in cottage level industries or as wage labours and also in marketing these products. In processing industries, though women are engaged in large numbers, they are mostly engaged as basic level labourers or in low level managerial positions. Though women have the potential and capacity to perform well in better positions in the hierarchy, due to restrictive division of labour by sex and cultural taboos, their participation is limited only to domestic works and auxiliary functions in capture fisheries.