Women in fishing activity: A look at the contribution of the platoneras of Buenaventura, Colombia

Abstract

An analysis of the value chain of the trawl fishery in the Pacific, showed that more than 50 % of the jobs generated in this fishery are occupied by women, and that half of these are provided by the platoneras of the Buenaventura district. The platoneras are afro-descendant women who market fish products based on the bycatch of this fishery and who are an integral part of the trawl fishery. Ignoring the contribution to the local economy and the fishing sector, this study describes the role of platoneras in the trawl fishery to map the value chain sensitive to gender and nutrition. For this, 123 direct surveys to platoneras in five marketing points of the district were applied. The analysis showed that they receive an average of $87,500 COP per day. The average age is 50 years and 94 % of them are affiliated with the health under a subsidized regime. The platoneras market around 60 products and their role is key to the dynamism of the fishing sector, the economy, and the local gastronomic tradition.