The Role of Women in the Fishery Sector of Pantar Island, Indonesia

In Indonesia, marine resources make an important contribution to rural local livelihoods for both food security and cash income. Small scale fisheries typically involve men in catching and women in post-harvest, with overlapping roles. Both activities contribute to household livelihoods. The Indonesian fishing sector is seen as a male domain and the contribution of women is poorly recognised. This paper examines the role of women in the small scale fishery sector in Pantar Island, Nusa Tenggara Timur Province, located in the area of the Alor Marine Conservation Plan of the Coral Triangle Initiative. It examines women’s participation in pre-production, fishing and seaweed farming activities, and post harvest, including marketing. The data were collected in four communities through focus group discussions with women and men, and key informant interviews with village leaders and fisherwomen. The results provide a local context-specific analysis of the role of women in small scale fisheries, demonstrating that women do fish and participate in a range of fishery related activities which in turn contribute significantly to household food security and income and are an important, but frequently overlooked, stakeholder group in the small scale fishery sector. Women must be included in future conservation and fishery planning.