Why Study Women in Aquaculture?

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector and women make up half the workforce (FAO, 2020).

Globally, there is a lack of data collected on gender. The US fisheries and aquaculture agencies that manage marine resources do not collect demographic data.

Why is this a problem?

In most seafood systems, women work in the processing, distribution, and marketing sectors which are low-wage roles with little opportunity for upward mobility (FAO, 2020).

The lack of gender analysis in the fisheries and aquaculture industry leads to miscalculations in harvest data, a limited number of women in management positions, and an incomplete understanding of the social-ecological relationships that make up these ecosystems (Gissi et al., 2018).

New England is a leader in women-owned and operated oyster farms. This research hopes to share their experiences as oyster producers to help reflect the diversity of the industry and make policy recommendations for a more socially inclusive sector.

A note on gender.

It is important to understand the terminology associated with gender. Some basic definitions include sex, which is defined as the physical biology assigned at birth (male/female). Gender is an individual’s identity and feelings. An individual whose gender identity coincides with their sex assigned at birth is known as cisgender (man/woman). Someone whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth or does not conform to the binary (man/woman) notions of gender call themselves nonbinary or genderqueer. Our understanding of both sex and gender is shaped by social constructs (Bell et al., 2015).

What is the photovoice methodology?

Photovoice is a community-based research methodology that provides participants with the opportunity to reflect on and critique community issues, create context-specific data, and have control over the research process (Wang and Burris, 1997). Rather than being research subjects, this method encourages women to take an active role as participants with data collection, analysis, and outreach. Photovoice is increasingly being used in fisheries and aquaculture studies to provide visibility for women’s contributions to the industry, which have largely been unrecognized in data collection and management decisions (Pierce, 2020). 

Photovoice is based in feminism theory and can be used to engage and empower women while also expanding their community networks, equality of voice, and experiences to decision makers (Pierce, 2020). It can be a safe and ethical method if the ethics processes are followed strictly. These processes include transparency throughout the entire research process, assurance of confidentiality where applicable, and full consent by participants. UNH FY 2022 IRB #23

For this research, the participants were provided a prompt and related themes to guide their photo documentation: What do you want to communicate about the work that you do on your oyster farm?

Resources and Barriers: 

• People, networks organizations

• Funding 

• Gear

• Training opportunities

• Other