Abstract :
In the fisheries sector, participation of women is generally after the fish is harvested. This may be a tradition evolved around the need for rest and relief for the men folk after long spells of hard toil in the waters. Fish retailing has been mainly a women’s domain all over India, both in the inland and marine sector. Women take the twin responsibilities of fish trading and taking care of family. The Government of Bihar, India has earmarked areas for fish markets in the city of Patna, but often the space is constrained and consumers find it difficult to purchase fish from there. Many fish vendors thus occupy the pavements in different locations. This is also a cause for concern. In Patna, the proportion of women in fish markets has been decreasing over the past decade or so. The main reasons are insecurity, lack of basic facilities, literacy etc. Harassment from different quarters, such as the men retailers, administrative and the municipal authorities have been reported. In fact most women vendors accepted that lack of protection was the main problem they faced in their work. Some women fish vendors were mobile vendors because they felt that this was a safer way to ward off harassment. Apart from these issues, women have practically no technical knowledge on fish handling, preservation and pre-processing, which could be used for developing their trade.
