Q1. Although chapter 8 on gender equality may not be considered critical for the Caribbean some fisheries partners formed a Gender In Fisheries Team (GIFT) in 2016 to improve gender mainstreaming as set out in the SSF Guidelines. We have been very encouraged by the interest of both women and men, young and old, fisherfolk and academics. Often the dialogue is about ensuring that all in the fishing industry have a fair chance to succeed and prosper, so gender is only one dimension. In a regional survey, fisherfolk said that fisheries demonstrated gender equality much more than Caribbean society in general, and they were proud of this. We now need good metrics to measure and monitor the situation, particularly since many state and non-state gender agencies ignore our SSF.
Q3. One of the key elements of successful participatory monitoring is ensuring that the process is multi-purpose. That is, it serves several beneficial outcomes to which participants along different segments of the fisheries value chain, or in different fisheries or organisations, can easily relate over a reasonable period. Now there is a tendency to link monitoring to the achievement of the SDGs, but in many places the SDGs are still seen as a state concern removed from daily life. So it would be good to also have simple indicators suitable for multi-year high school curricula so as to facilitate intergenerational interest in monitoring fisheries and fostering stewardship.
Patrick McConney