Physical strength, toughness, and endurance. These are some of the most common bodily attributes associated with men. These attributes play an important role in defining whether one is a fisher or not, as these masculinity expressions are generally present in fishing. Therefore, people who do not participate in harvesting (fishing) and who do not reflect these characteristics, such as women, are not usually considered part of the sector, even when according to official data, they make up half of the fisheries workforce worldwide, when pre- and post-production activities are also considered.

The 12th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (12IFAF) was held in Chennai from 5 to 7 May 2022. We are pleased to report on two events with special relevance to gender in aquaculture and fisheries. The first is an award to a gender stalwart, Dr B. Shanthi, and the second is a report by Dr Nikita Gopal of the Special Session on Gender in Fisheries held at 12IFAF.

The Cooperative Action Plan recognizes this issue and presents a guide for addressing gender and labor issues faced by women workers in Asia-Pacific fisheries and aquaculture. It focuses on women’s labor and business opportunities, recognizing that women are not a homogenous category and their needs vary according to their working situations, life stages from youth to elderly, ethnicity, education, social and economic positions, immigrant status, among others. A call is made to individuals and organizations to make the Plan a reality.

The 13th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (13AFAF) was a watershed for how gender was included in Asian Fisheries Society’s triennial Forums. Gender topics were in the Plenary, as a topic session and in the Forum’s graphic elements. The gender theme has come a long way in Asian Fisheries Society and can still go much further. Three messages to take home: why and how research is practices is critical to gender; need to focus more on women’s agency rather than their victimhood and marginality; and gender relations are dynamic under changes in resources and even new technologies.

The assumption that the tuna industry is dominated by men, or that only men fish, is not only wrong, but also damaging. As women make up half of the population, it is important to know if the development of fishing industries benefits both women and men. To do that, a first step is making women visible through gender-disaggregated data to have a better picture of how women are impacted in their societies.

This special issue of ICSF’s Yemaya features articles drawn from the presentations and discussions at the webinar, ‘Women Work in Fisheries, Too!’, held on 29 November 2021.

Getting to the Core Principles of Gender and Fisheries: The Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section of the Asian Fisheries Society (GAFS), celebrates International Women’s Day 2022 by releasing its Core Principles statement. The GAFS Core Principles are based on the formal Objectives in our By Laws, and our own and others’ experiences working in gender equality. The Principles have been drafted, discussed and put through open consultation among GAFS members and other interested experts.

Read the latest E-Newsletter of the Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section (GAFS) of the Asian Fisheries Society, our second COVID-19 era edition. The E-Newsletter Editor, Surendran Rajaratnam pointed out, “COVID-19 continues to disrupt our lives and livelihoods, we have learned to endure and continue to live with the disease and the uncertainties it brings. Although the pandemic has exposed political, health, economic and social vulnerabilities of many countries, the show of resilience and global cooperation to weather the virus is applaudable.”