Gendered sociocultural dimensions of Swahili small-scale fisheries: participation, access and shared species

Sociocultural values - intangible biocultural interactions producing identity and heritage - remain largely absent from fisheries policy despite their significance. Women's subsistence fisheries, which meet critical food, nutritional, cultural, and local needs, remain predominantly invisible in governance frameworks. This study examines how sociocultural discriminations and socioeconomic models reshape gendered marine practice along the Swahili coast, providing a transboundary perspective across four villages with shared histories, religions, and traditional fishing practices.

Using mixed methods, semi-structured questionnaires and interviews conducted in Kiswahili targeted minimum 30 respondents per village, with chi-square tests analyzing categorical data. Results demonstrate that gender strongly discriminates against traditional fishing practices (p<0.05, r>0.85). Intergenerational transmission of fishers' traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) proves pivotal in maintaining fishing identity. However, female fishers experience significantly limited marine participation and restricted access to marine spaces and target species, primarily constrained by mobility limitations and expertise restricted to shallow depths.

The monetization of fisheries species and male-fisher adoption of scuba diving technology drive expansion into invertebrate fisheries, creating overlaps for high-value species. This displaces female gleaners and accelerates marine resource overexploitation. While seaweed farming's emergence has eliminated traditional gleaning practices previously supported by seagrass beds - precluding coexistence - the new livelihood paradoxically breaks down cultural barriers and promotes meaningful gender inclusion.

Policy frameworks must integrate sociocultural dimensions - particularly gender, subsistence practices, and traditional ecological knowledge - into sustainable marine biodiversity management and conservation strategies. Recognizing these intangible values is essential for equitable and effective marine governance.