Gender inequality in the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM)

Gender inequality poses severe challenges to the socio-economic wellbeing and ecological wellbeing of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in achieving inclusive development globally. The lack of sex-disaggregated data in fisheries and aquaculture research reaffirms the perception that the fisheries sector is a masculine industry. This lack of sex-disaggregated data, strengthened the policy neglect of gender problems in the fisheries sector, leading to gender-blind policies that focus more on fish capture which is dominated by men rather than marketing and processing where women dominance is more pronounced. Even though millions of women are engaged in different activities within the fisheries value chain, yet their participation and contributions remain invisible. The research aims to amplify the importance of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in addressing issues of gender inequality in the fisheries and the aquaculture sector with an emphasis on; management and decision making, and access and control of resources, which hinders the sustainable development processes in marginalized communities. The paper concludes that sex-disaggregated research can assist in achieving goal number five of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.