Inclusive research at RIEL: examples from fisheries

In the seminar ‘Inclusive research at RIEL: examples from fisheries’ we will hear from two researchers from Charles Darwin University’s Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) whose work focuses on gender and fisheries in the Northern Territory.

Dr Jenny House is a Research Fellow at RIEL. She will present ‘“Reel women” and “Secret women’s business”: Women’s recreational fishing in the Top End of the Northern Territory, Australia’.

Recreational fishing provides diverse benefits but, since it remains male-dominated globally, these are often not equitably shared, and the experiences of women and gender diverse anglers are overlooked. However, in the NT participation rates of women and men are equal. This study explores women’s experiences of recreational fishing in the Top End, the barriers and enablers of their participation, the role of women’s fishing competitions and the private sector, and the vision that women anglers have for the sector. The findings reveal high inclusivity, ongoing challenges, and opportunities to develop a more sustainable and equitable recreational fishing sector.

Jenny is a marine social science Research Fellow, with a focus on fisheries management, governance, participatory monitoring, gender, and social inclusion. She has a decade of experience working across the Asia-Pacific, especially in Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and Australia. Jenny also Chairs the RIEL Gender Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Nilanjana Biswas is a PhD candidate at RIEL and will present ‘Recasting the Net: A historical analysis of women’s participation in the Northern Territory Commercial Seafood Sector’.

Women have long contributed to the NT’s commercial seafood sector, yet their participation remains constrained by structural and social factors. This study examines women’s roles in fisheries and aquaculture from 1950 to the early 2020s, analysing how gendered and racialised labour patterns evolved through four phases of industry development. Drawing on archival research, interviews, and consultations, it identifies periods of strong engagement, particularly in the 1970s, followed by marginalisation linked to commercialisation and policy shifts. Findings highlight the persistent undervaluation of women’s labour and emphasise the need for gender-responsive reforms to achieve a more equitable, diverse, resilient, and sustainable seafood sector in the NT.

Nilanjana is a PhD scholar with extensive experience in small-scale fisheries and gender studies. Her research examines the gendered dimensions of fisheries, aquaculture, and Blue Economy development, with a focus on policy implementation and the social and economic impacts of development initiatives on women in marine and coastal communities.

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