Gender, Fisheries, and Blue Economy Governance in Coastal African Communities

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 11, November 2026 | pp. 57–70

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001349

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Gender, Fisheries, and Blue Economy Governance in Coastal African Communities

Names of Author: Adama Ndiaye¹, Kenji Watanabe², & Sofia Lindqvist³

Author's Affiliation: ¹Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal; ²Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan; ³Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Abstract:
Small-scale artisanal fisheries sustain coastal food security and employment across West and East Africa, with women accounting for over eighty percent of fish processors, smokers, and local market traders. However, industrial foreign trawler overfishing, offshore oil and gas extraction, and top-down "Blue Economy" conservation enclosures increasingly restrict coastal communities’ access to marine resources. Because fisheries governance institutions predominantly recognize male boat owners while overlooking female post-harvest workers, women are systematically excluded from marine spatial planning and compensation schemes. This paper investigates the gendered impacts of Blue Economy policies on female fish processors in Senegal and Tanzania. Anchored in feminist political ecology and marine justice theory, the study combines catch-value tracking with 48 interviews involving women’s fisheries associations. We advocate for legal recognition of post-harvest fishing rights, investment in solar fish-drying infrastructure, and gender parity in coastal co-management councils.

Keywords: Blue Economy, artisanal fisheries, women fish processors, marine justice, feminist political ecology, food security, Senegal, Tanzania

Manuscript Timeline: Received: September 23, 2026; Revised: October 22, 2026; Accepted: October 26, 2026; Published: November 16, 2026.

Citation: Ndiaye, A., Watanabe, K., & Lindqvist, S. (2026). Gender, Fisheries, and Blue Economy Governance in Coastal African Communities. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(11), 57–70. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001349

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