The fisherwomen of Ngazidja island, Comoros: Fisheries livelihoods, impacts, and implications for management

Research on women in fisheries tends to focus on their roles as processors and vendors, but rarely on their direct engagement in fishing and harvesting activities. As such, the contribution of fisherwomen to household income, food security, and even marine conservation is often overlooked. This case-study is a preliminary examination of artisanal fisherwomen in three communities on Ngazidja island, Comoros. Though women on Ngazidja have fished for generations, authorities have recently attempted to ban them from fishing as their practices are considered destructive to near-shore reefs and juvenile fish populations. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to document and examine women's fishing methods, impacts, and contributions to coastal livelihoods and food security on Ngazidja, and second, to make recommendations on potential management interventions. Qualitative methods were used to gather information on fisherwomen's harvesting activities, fisheries knowledge, livelihood contributions, perceptions of resource status conditions, and informal management practices. Results indicate that women's fishing methods can be destructive and may have contributed to localized declines in intertidal marine resources and habitats. Yet, fisherwomen also provide substantial contributions to household livelihoods and food security. Thus, banning the fishery altogether is not an acceptable solution. Instead, authorities should work to empower fisherwomen with the tools necessary to manage their fishery sustainably, which will eventually lead to improved conservation measures. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.