Abstract

Fisherfolk in the Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism take great interest in the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guide-lines) developed and adopted as a global instrument through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations has actively encouraged Caribbean national fisheries authorities and the inter-governmental Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism to incorporate the SSF Guidelines into policy. The Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations has also been very active in promoting awareness of the SSF Guidelines among the leaders of national fisherfolk organisations. For some women, gender is an important part of the contents of the SSF Guidelines. However, gender issues are not normally included in national fisheries m anagement plans, and gender is missing from the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy. A small survey was undertaken to explore perspectives on gender equality amongst fisherfolk in the Caribbean using the provisions of the SSF Guidelines as key topics. The findings suggest that gender in fisheries is indeed an issue, but perhaps less so than gender in Caribbean societies as a whole. Equality needs to be pursued in areas ranging from access to finance, to capacity development, and opportunities in fisherfolk organisations. The extent and nature of inequality varies by topic and country. This information is useful for designing a Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations programme of action to implement the SSF Guidelines and mainstreaming gender in fisheries

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