Mulheres na pesca: desafios de gênero e percepções da pesca em comunidades tradicionais do Alagoas e Bahia

Abstract

Male participation in Brazilian fisheries was historically encouraged by strategic state interests, particularly between 1840 and 1930, when the registration of fishers and the organization of Fishing Colonies were linked to territorial defense and the formation of a naval reserve. Although women have been involved in fishing activities since the colonial period, the social recognition of women fishers as a political identity only consolidated in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite advances, structural inequalities persist, attributing greater social value to men’s work, rendering women’s contributions invisible and reinforcing the burden of double working hours. This study aims to understand how women fishers and shellfish gatherers in the states of Bahia and Alagoas perceive and experience being a woman and fishing as a subsistence activity, as well as to identify challenges and perspectives for improving their quality of life. The research, approved by an Ethics Committee, was conducted between April and May 2021 through 30 online interviews. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining descriptive quantitative analysis of closed-ended questions and qualitative analysis of open-ended responses based on the construction of analytical typologies. The results indicate a predominance of fishers and shellfish gatherers affiliated with associations and social movements. Fishing is primarily understood as productive labor and a means of subsistence, but also as cultural identity and intergenerational heritage. The main difficulties reported include physical strain and unhealthy working conditions, invisibility of women’s leadership, and double working hours. Some participants, particularly older women, do not recognize these difficulties, suggesting a possible naturalization of inequality. The notion of a better life is associated with the guarantee of rights, professional recognition, specific public policies, improved working conditions, and enhanced quality of life. The study concludes that, although progress has been made in recognizing women in artisanal fisheries, gender inequalities persist and require institutional recognition and targeted public policies.