Who benefits from the export of sea cucumbers?
Nearly all households in Palau are involved in fishing. As is common across the Pacific region, women’s fishing activities are distinct from men’s. Traditionally, Palauan women glean invertebrates from reefs and mangroves, whereas men catch finfish from boats. Therefore, it is essential to include women’s contributions to fishing in order to understand the diversity and totality of marine resource extraction in Palau (Belau).
Rapid commercialization of fisheries has shifted gender dynamics and threatened the health of women’s and men’s fisheries. While men’s fishing activities have been well documented in Palau, researchers have largely ignored women’s fisheries, meaning managers have limited information available to implement sound regulations. There is currently very little formal management of women’s fisheries in Palau, apart from ad hoc single-species export bans and a single marine protected area.
In summer 2018, I conducted life history interviews with Palauan fisherwomen to investigate: How has Palauan women’s fishing changed as fisheries have become commercialized? How can fisherwomen’s ecological knowledge be harnessed to improve fisheries management for sustainability and equity?
Over the next three years, I hope to investigate a case study: what happens when a women's fishery (sea cucumber) becomes rapidly industrialized for global trade? Who benefits, and how? How are the long-term costs distributed along gender lines? How do different women benefit or suffer differently? I hope my dissertation will inform management decision-making, promote women’s roles in fisheries management, and honor Palau’s cultural and ecological heritage.
Rapid commercialization of fisheries has shifted gender dynamics and threatened the health of women’s and men’s fisheries. While men’s fishing activities have been well documented in Palau, researchers have largely ignored women’s fisheries, meaning managers have limited information available to implement sound regulations. There is currently very little formal management of women’s fisheries in Palau, apart from ad hoc single-species export bans and a single marine protected area.
In summer 2018, I conducted life history interviews with Palauan fisherwomen to investigate: How has Palauan women’s fishing changed as fisheries have become commercialized? How can fisherwomen’s ecological knowledge be harnessed to improve fisheries management for sustainability and equity?
Over the next three years, I hope to investigate a case study: what happens when a women's fishery (sea cucumber) becomes rapidly industrialized for global trade? Who benefits, and how? How are the long-term costs distributed along gender lines? How do different women benefit or suffer differently? I hope my dissertation will inform management decision-making, promote women’s roles in fisheries management, and honor Palau’s cultural and ecological heritage.
Collecting erumrum (Actinopyga miliaris, Acinopyga mauritiana, Actinopyga lecanora).
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Sea cucumber gleaner Surech (L) and sea cucumber aquaculturist Alex (R) learn from one another.
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Ann explains her traditional knowledge of sea cucumber spawning.
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