Acknowledging the voice of women: implications for fisheries management and policy

Abstract Commercial fishing research often focuses on ecological (gear, stock-assessment, traceability) or economic factors or indicators. Truly understanding the social-ecological system requires considering the social, cultural, historical, and legal/policy aspects as well. Although regulatory bodies now include human dimensions in their management plans, there are still challenges to integrating social science into the decision-making process. There is a national and international understanding that if resource managers are to understand and develop strategies for coastal resilience, a holistic approach is needed that includes an understanding of the intersection between the dynamics of fisheries management and women's participation within fishing. The objective of this study was to collect oral history data related to past and current strategies for addressing fishing family and community resilience over time. Literature has documented ways in which limited access and catch share programs affect fishing community resilience and sustainability, but have few data that look at how these management systems may be affecting women's roles and participation within the industry. The results from this research adds to the literature on women's roles in the US and provide needed attention to their contribution to the well-being, resilience, and adaptive capacity of Oregon's evolving commercial fishing industry.